Equipment

Our Equipment

In the stillness of an old building at night, the right equipment helps us notice things we might otherwise miss. Here’s the kit HPI uses on investigations, what each piece does and how we use it. No gadget can prove a haunting, but used carefully, it helps us record, compare and rule out everyday explanations.

EMF meters

An EMF meter measures electromagnetic fields, the invisible energy given off by wiring, appliances and mobile phones. We take baseline readings around a location first so we know what’s normal, then watch for changes during a vigil. A high reading often has an everyday cause, such as faulty wiring, and finding that can be just as useful as anything else.

REM pods

A REM pod creates a small electromagnetic field around its antenna and lights up or sounds an alarm when something disturbs it. We place them in quiet spots, away from people, and use them as a point of focus when calling out. They react to people, pets and draughts too, so we keep the area clear and note everything that could set one off.

Spirit boxes

A spirit box sweeps rapidly through radio frequencies, producing a stream of static and fragments of sound. Some people believe voices can come through the noise in response to questions. We record every session and treat what we hear with caution, because the human brain is very good at finding words in random sound.

Thermal cameras

A thermal camera shows heat rather than light, so it can pick up warm and cold spots in complete darkness. We use it to check reported cold spots and to rule out draughts, pipes and radiators. It also helps us keep track of where everyone in the team is standing.

Night vision cameras

Night vision cameras use infrared light, invisible to the human eye, to film in total darkness. We set up locked-off cameras on fixed stands in rooms and corridors where activity has been reported, so they record continuously with no one touching them or walking past. Investigators also carry handheld night vision cameras so we can film what’s happening around us as we move through a location. Dust, insects and reflections often show up in infrared as bright floating ‘orbs’, so we treat orbs with real scepticism and check the footage carefully before reading anything into it.

Full-spectrum cameras

A full-spectrum camera captures infrared and ultraviolet light as well as the visible spectrum. We use them for photos and video in dark or low-light areas. Dust, insects and reflections can look strange on camera, so we review all footage carefully before drawing any conclusions.

Digital audio recorders (EVP)

Digital recorders let us capture EVP, or electronic voice phenomena: sounds or voices heard on playback that nobody noticed at the time. We leave recorders running during sessions and say aloud any noise we make ourselves, such as a cough or a creaking floorboard, so we don’t mistake it later.

Motion sensors

Motion sensors trigger a light or sound when something moves within range. We set them up in empty rooms, corridors and doorways that should stay still, which lets us monitor areas we can’t watch in person.

Talking board

A talking board, often called a Ouija board, is a board printed with letters and numbers that sitters move a planchette across. We only use one with care, in a controlled and respectful way, and we’re open about the fact that small unconscious movements by the people taking part can move the planchette.

SLS cameras

An SLS (structured light sensor) camera projects a grid of infrared dots and uses software to map human shapes, showing them as stick figures on screen. We use it to scan rooms during vigils. The software can also mistake furniture or shadows for figures, so we always check what’s actually in the room.

Handmade trigger objects & ghost toys

Some of the most important items in our kit aren’t bought at all. Team leader Alan Morton handmakes many of our trigger objects and ghost toys himself. A trigger object is a familiar item placed in a room to invite interaction. We use these gently and respectfully, particularly where child spirits have been reported, offering the kind of toys a child might be drawn to.

• Light-up and sensor teddy bears – soft toys fitted with sensors that light up or make a sound when touched or disturbed.
• Toy cars – simple toys placed on marked positions so we can see if they’ve moved.
• Carousels – small musical or light-up carousels that react to movement or touch.
• Dolls – traditional trigger objects, set out carefully and watched on camera.
• Wonder box – a close relative of the spirit box. Sound from a radio sweep or other audio source is fed through the box, which cuts down static and adds echo and reverb, and can play the sound backwards so ordinary speech becomes a jumble. The idea is to listen for clear, relevant replies to our questions. We record every session and treat what we hear with caution, as our brains readily find words in noise.
• Digital spirit boards – electronic boards with touch-sensitive letters and answers, a modern take on the talking board.

As with everything we use, we set these up with care, record what happens and look for ordinary explanations first.