The novelty of seeing cogs turn and levers move, can satisfy the curiosity and intrigue of many. By having clear bodies, the coloured moving parts of objects are exposed, whilst still being shielded by a protective casing.
The cogs of the clock (1) slowly tick round with the movement of the clock whilst those of the stapler (2) only move when papers are inserted switching on the power. The fan of the hairdryer (3) provides an ornamental feature when the device is not in use. The kitchen scales (4) are used to weigh produce for cooking and baking. As weight is added to the pan it causes a spring to stretch, this in turn moves the hand on the dial to the weight mark. The see-through case enables the user to see the spring move but protects both the mechanism from being effected by dirt and therefore becoming inaccurate, and the user from being injured by the strong spring.
Devices such as the wind-up radio (5), and torch (6), both made by Freeplay Energy, are designed to be used where batteries or mains electricity are not easily available. The spring providing the power needs to be wound tightly. As the spring unwinds it creates movement, or kinetic energy, this is then converted by the generator into electrical energy. By being able to see how loose or tight the spring is, the user can decide how much to wind the device.
Cassettes are played by winding a magnetic tape from one reel to another. When the first reel is empty and the second is full, it is time to turn the tape over. Players that have clear covers (7 - 8) help the user to see how much time they have before the side they are listening to will finish.
Although the printed circuitry of electronic devices (9 - 12) does not have the moving parts associated with mechanical equipment, they do provide a futuristic design with coloured wires adding to the imagery.
Plastics can be moulded in such a way that they are not just see-through, but can also provide a magnifying lens. For the water meter (13), this means that the numbers showing the measurement can be more easily read.
