Some sort of Doohickey

[Cardinal Hordriss]

This was sort of inspired by the parthenogenesis detector, you may notice the use of the plug and the wristwatch case. It's built into a tin which I felt wast the kind of upcycling thing the Doctor would do. All the parts are from my bits box, didn't buy a thing. My favorite bit is the faux crystal and its holder.

No idea what it does though lol.

[davidnagel]

Oooh I like a doohickey

[Cardinal Hordriss]

I don't like doohickies built for one thing alone, more like a tricorder less like a Geiger counter.

Any ideas what it might do?

I thought if the crystal was harvested from the cavity the time rotor goes down into, through the console into the floor it could maybe be some sort of huonite (formed by the huon particle(s) deep in the TARDIS) and so the device could scan for anachronisms, maybe detecting artron energy to locate things or people that have traveled through time. That would make a useful device for Torchwood or UNIT as well as the Doctor.

What else might it do?

[warmcanofcoke]

The design looks reminiscent of the unit the 2nd doctor used on the doors to the Tomb of the Cybermen.

but after looking at the various shots of the dohicky and trying to figure out what it might do I came up with the mane: Magnetic Focusing Harmoniser.

As to what it does, it will depend on the script.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

Yes, the spring on the top definitely gives it the look of the etheric wave detector. Magnetic Focusing Harmonizer is a great name, in fact it would be ideal for an alternative sonic screwdriver type of device.

[warmcanofcoke]

I can unlock that door, just give me two minutes alone with my Magnetic Focusing Harmoniser!

[The14thDr]

This looks awesome!! Very Doctor-ish!

As for its purpose; I like the idea of an anachronism detector (maybe this could be a multi-purpose device, that the Doctor can fine-tune to pick up various different signals: a multi-purpose timey-wimey, anachronistic, electromagnetic scanner, thingummy )

Whatever purpose you give this machine, one thing's for certain: it's bloody good!!

[Davros Skaro]

I can unlock that door, just give me two minutes alone with my Magnetic Focusing Harmoniser!

Companion: "Can it do wood?"
Doctor: "Of course it can do wood, it's a Magnetic Focusing Harmoniser!"

Chris.

[galacticprobe]

It could even be adjusted (tuned) to detect temporal anomalies (like the 2nd Doctor said in "The Three Doctors" - "Don't you see? I'm just a temporal anomaly.") Those anomalies could also include time rifts, vortex tears (openings in the real world where the Time Vortex is leaking through... like that crack in the universe). So that function could be added to the ones already mentioned.

I don't like doohickies built for one thing alone...

Oh, no; this thingy is definitely not a unitasker! Just look at the functions you've already got that it can do. Maybe call it something like an Omni-Matrix Functionalizer; it can manipulate any matrix which is what gives it the ability to do all of the above functions.

Dino.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

May I just say I am loving all these names and ideas, I'll have to sit and condense them into one remit.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

A few changes -

[Cardinal Hordriss]

[The14thDr]

Beautiful work as always! I love the "lashed together"-type devices, and yours really looks like something that the Doctor would throw together with just a moment's notice to help him defeat the latest threat.

Every upgrade you make just improves this further.

[galacticprobe]

I agree with what 14th said: very Doctor-esque in its construction. If you still have no idea what it could do, seeing the coil on top and having that telescopic antenna/aerial on the side, how about making this an Electro-static Field Locator/Detector? It could even detect a lightning storm while it was miles away. If there's a speaker in this, the crackling sound it makes means it's detecting lightning.

If the crackling is constant, you could be in an area with lots of EMF around and it could warn you of that. Constant EMF could make you nauseous, dizzy, hallucinate - especially if you or someone with you are sensitive to it. It could even mean any number of other things: paranormal energy (ghosties); unshielded or ungrounded electrical wiring; high voltage cable pylons or an electrical substation nearby; Dalek electrostatic trails as they roll by...

Dino.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

The light up rods can be blue, red or pink constant or flashing or flash between all 3.