Lightwaves Aid People in the Dark

Lightwaves are new, wearable reflective bands that will make you highly visible at night if you’re walking, jogging or riding a bike or motorcycle.

They are available in adult and children’s sizes for wrist, ankle, legs or head.

“They’re made of the same kind of material that goes on road signs,” said Lightwave developer Jerry Vitera of Grinnell, Iowa. “We developed a process so that material will adhere to cloth and it’s washable, too.”

The strips have an absorbent underside and attach with hook and loop fasteners. Wrist/ankle bands cost $2.95; headbands, $4; leg bands, $5. Specify adult or children’s sizes. To order, contact Walk for Life, P.O. Box 92, Grinnell, Iowa 50112, phone (515) 236-6209.

Fog-Free Mirror

ShowerTek is a fog-free shaving mirror designed by Dick Christianson of Napa, Calif., who came up with the product because he likes to shave in the shower and couldn’t find a mirror that didn’t cloud up.

The acrylic mirror attaches to the shower head and allows hot water to circulate onto the mirror’s back, raising it to shower temperature and eliminating condensation. It can be easily installed on standard shower heads, Christianson said.

“It’s uniquely designed to attach securely to the shower arm, not the wall,” Christianson said. “The mirrors won’t slip, fall down or break. Best of all, it saves time shaving in the morning.”

Suggested retail for ShowerTek is $29. It is available through Sharper Image stores and catalogue (800) 344-4444 or in the Los Angeles area at May Co., Longs Drugs, and Thrifty Drug. For stores in other areas, call (800) 776-6364.

Dough Detective

Because bogus money seems to be on the increase nationwide--the Secret Service estimates that more than $1 billion a year is fraudulently printed in the U.S.--merchants may be interested in Vistatector, a new pen-sized counterfeit currency detector.

The device reveals magnetic particles embedded on the front of all U.S. paper currency, an easy way to determine a bill’s authenticity.

To use the device, place the bill on a soft, padded surface--or on the optional Vistatector Security Pad--and hold it down firmly. To activate the Vistatector, push the thumb button near the unit’s top. A red light and chirping sound signify it is working properly.

There are two steps to the test: first, rub the Vistatector rapidly from side to side over the bill where the dollar amount is printed under the portrait; second, rub it over the black Federal Reserve seal to the portrait’s left. A tone and lights, red or green, atop the unit will indicate whether the bill is genuine.

Suggested retail for Vistatector is $99.95. The optional security pad, with a flexible steel cord that hooks it to the device, is $19.95. To order, contact Security Products Division, Vistatech Enterprises Ltd., 935 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010, phone (212) 254-9851.

Bulb Life Extender

Power Mizer, a small disc that fits between a light bulb and the center contact of the socket, can extend the life of bulbs considerably while also saving energy, its Connecticut manufacturers report.

“Gauged on tests of 100-watt bulbs, Power Mizer extends bulb life up to 38,000 hours and saves 28% in energy consumption,” said co-inventor Anthony Tremaglio of Watertown, Conn. “It limits the voltage to the bulb and there is only has a 5 to 10% illumination decrease.”

Noting that light bulbs wear out “primarily because of the initial surge when you turn them on and because they operate at very high temperatures, which weaken the tungsten filament so it breaks,” Tremaglio said the Power Mizer eliminates both problems so light bulbs last longer.

Power Mizer can be used only with standard incandescent bulbs with a maximum capacity of 200 watts. They don’t work with three-way bulbs.

Suggested retail for a package of two Power Mizers is $3.99-$4.99. In Southern California, they are sold at most Ace and True Value hardware stores and Thrifty Drug.

For information about stores in other areas that carry the device, write to Miracle Products, 182 Commercial St., Watertown, Conn. 06795, phone (203) 274-7566 or 7567.