Author: Jess Christian

Transistor Thingy-ma-bobs?

If you’re like me at some point you’ve come across the word, “transistors” when reading about Ironman and thought to yourself, “What’s that?” It’s one of those words we’ve ignored but it would be nice to know what it meant to us as Ironman fans. After all, Iron Man wouldn’t be that invincible without these miniaturized transistors. First, let’s take a look how Marvel presents the discussion between the General and our Ironman Tony Stark.

GENERAL: “Come off it, Stark! How can tiny transistors enable that small magnet to pull open a locked vault?”

TONY STARK: “Don’t mistake size for power, general! Though miniaturized, my transistors can increase the force of any device a thousandfold!”

Perhaps away from the comic reader’s eye the General inquired further…

GENERAL: “So what are those transistor thingy-ma-bobs you’re talking about anyway?”

Your Thumb Can Be Like a Transistor

Let’s start off by thinking of the flow of electricity as it relates to the flow of water so we can get our arms around how a transistor works in layman’s terms. Now picture the flowing water as it passes through a hose and you’re about 8-years-old and you’re amongst the enemy engaged in a family water fight. Well, if you just pointed the hose allowing the water to flow as it did naturally you’d be pretty disappointed because the water wouldn’t reach very far. Soon you get this bright idea and you put your thumb over the opening at the end of the hose in such a way that water is sent spraying out with more force further. As a result, they get very wet quickly and you’re suddenly in trouble with mom and dad.

Your thumb, as you adjusted it over the hole at the end of the hose, allowed you to regulate the flow and pressure of that water in such a way you could now put enough force behind that water to reach them. Water flow and pressure through the hose is regulated by your thumb acting much like a transistor which regulates the current and voltage of electricity.

Think of Flow As Being Similar to Current and Pressure Similar to Voltage

The flow when discussing water is similar to the current when dealing with electricity and the pressure of the water coming out of the hose would be similar to the voltage of electricity. As you try to drench your brother or sister you decrease the flow of that water through the hose as you troubleshoot different thumb positions over the opening to increase the pressure of the water; all of this to get the desired stream you’re after. Your thumb (capacitor) is crucial to your success. When you take a drink from that same hose you decrease the pressure and increase the flow through the hose or if you don’t someone is bound to be around to laugh at you. As your thumb is important in this example so is the transistor’s use in regulating current and voltage as it applies to electricity.

There you have it. Ironman’s repulsor rays wouldn’t be nearly as effective without transistors. Tony Stark’s genius is hidden not only in the design of his own mysterious mini-transistors but the configuration of many of these transistors working together. And lets not forget he’s thrown in his own special resistors and capacitors with other Stark innovated thingy-ma-bobs. If this explanation has led you to think about microchips you’re well on your way and one step closer to building yourself your own power armor!

Disclaimer: This article is not intended for use by Iron Man villains as they pursue duplicating Stark technology…and you know who you are, Mordius.