Still laughing (and pondering) this one. (-:

Since it is reproduced also here, http://www.ausmall.com.au/geek/cats.htm , then it must be true.

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Bob Barr
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 6:50 PM
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [OT] Shock the kitty

On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 00:29:47 +0200, "Lindy Mayfield" wrote:

>I've been experimenting.  This couch we have is the key.  The problem really doesn't occur in other places like on the bed or floor.
>
>I guess I can give up on any fame for having discovered this.  
> Like when Franklin invented electricity by flying a kite in a storm.  
> I can give up too on harnessing this energy somehow.  Some Googling has turned up a Van de Graf generator.  
>

The trick to getting energy from a cat is very simple and is based on
a couple of known laws:

1. A cat always lands on its feet.

2. Buttered toast always lands buttered-side-down on a carpet.

Based on these two facts, one can affix a piece of buttered toast
(buttered side out) to a cat's back and drop the cat over a carpet.

The following effect will be observed:

As the cat falls toward the floor, it will attempt to land on its
feet. At the same time, the toast will be trying to land
buttered-side-down. An equilibrium will result in which the cat will
be rotating quite rapidly at some small distance above the carpet.
(The exact distance and rotation speed depend primarily on the cat's
weight and height but are also influenced by the cost of the carpet.)

Now it's down to a simple matter of affixing a permanent magnet to the
cat and using its rotating magnetic field to induce current flow in a
nearby coil.


YMMV. :=)


Regards, Bob


P.S. My cat is reading this over my shoulder and he is *not* amused.

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