E.M.F. Detectors:  Brands - Ghost Meter, Electro Sensor, K2, Cell Sensor

What they are used for:  "E.M.F" stands for "electro-magnetic field" - these meters are used to detect any changes in the electromagnetic field of the area which is being investigated. There is a theory which states that spirits are actually just bundles of energy, and an EMF meter can detect these energies. An example of where an EMF detector would come in handy would be if you were investigating a supposedly haunted area in a forest. You suddenly get a spike in EMFs with your detector where there is no electricity running, in an area of the forest which you just scanned previously and did not register an EMF reading of any sort.  Suddenly, the EMF reading is gone. This would be an example of a paranormal event, because there is no explanation as to why energy would suddenly appear and then disappear. However, wires that are run wrong in your home or business can also give off vast amounts of EMFs that may be creating fear, paranoia, and even nauseous feelings in individuals that are sensitive to high EMFs.

Digital Voice Recorders:  Brands - Olympus, R.C.A.

What they are used for:  Digital voice recorders are used to pick up voices or noises which have a paranormal origin. These are called "EVPs,"  which stand for "electronic voice phenomenon."  There is a theory that a spirit can use it's own energy to communicate with the living. However, our human ears often cannot pick up on the sounds created by such energies, because the amount of energy which makes up a spirit is often weak. Recorders such as the ones M.C.P.I. uses during our investigations can be used to pick up on these strange sounds made by weaker entities. Upon playback of a recording made in a haunted area, you may be surprised to hear paranormal voices and noises made by these spirits as they are trying to communicate. For more information on the history and definition of EVPs, click here. To hear EVPs that we have collected, please visit our Investigations page.

Digital Thermometer:  Brand - Acu-rite

What it is used for:  This sensor is used to measure the air temperature in the room being investigated. This temperature gauge will increase or decrease slowly as it measures the surrounding air and will normally stay within a constant range of a few degrees. When investigating, we use this instrument to look for large, unusual temperature changes, because such a drastic temperature change is not normal (unless the room is being heated or cooled by conventional means, such as with an air conditioner, heater, or open window). We compare the readings we get to the baseline temperature that is recorded in each room before we begin an investigation. The theory around the use of a temperature gauge during an investigation is that when a spirit attempts to manifest itself, it will draw from other energy around it (such as heat), which will then create cold spots. In short, we are looking for a sudden and unexplained temperature change in the area being investigated which may be signaling that there is paranormal activity in that specific area.

Camcorders: Brand - Sony Handycam with Night Shot Plus

What they are used for:  Camcorders are used to pick up the images and movements of entities that the human eye may not see due to the way it is trying to manifest itself. Maybe the haunting is residual and the energy creating the replayed event is so minimal that it is rarely noticed by the human eye, but is easily picked up on an electronic device such as a camcorder.  Camcorders are also useful in cases where investigators may not notice any paranormal manifestations at the time due to other distractions. Or when the camcorder is left alone in an area separate from the main group of investigators in order to validate claims of paranormal activity which occur when the residents are not at home (i.e. when ever you leave you home your pictures mysteriously come off the wall, or a particular flower vase always falls over on it's own). Camcorders can be used with either normal or night vision to capture the aforementioned paranormal manifestations, but more often than not the type pf paranormal activity captured is that of objects being moved by a spirit who wishes to communicate, or by a mischievous poltergeist.

I.R. Cameras and D.V.R.:  Brand - Owl Cameras, 4CH MPEG-4 DVR

What they are used for:  An I.R. (or "infrared") camera records in the infrared spectrum, and is used in the same manner that a camcorder is used. It is often used in security and covert applications due to it's ability to illuminate an area in zero lux (total darkness). Therefore, the use of an IR camera can also be made applicable to the field of paranormal research because it is able to pick up more subtle and varied paranormal activity which the human eye may not be able to see. A D.V.R. (digital video recorder) with a high-capacity hard drive is able to capture many hours of footage without having to change discs every other hour, and is used in conjunction with the IR cameras in order to capture footage which we can use to validate your claims of paranormal activity.

Digital Cameras: Brand - G.E.

What they are used for: In the paranormal field, a camera is of the utmost importance. During an investigation we will be taking many pictures due to the fact a camera can pick up things which would otherwise be invisible to the human eye. This may be because of it's paranormal make up, or because of the velocity at which it is moving. Such interesting things as mists, orbs, ghostly faces, and the dark forms of "shadow people" sometimes come to life in pictures that are taken by paranormal investigators. A digital camera that is at least 5 mega-pixels or more (and which has as much optical zoom as possible) is best. This is because more pixels mean having a cleaner, crisper picture that is less blurry and easier to zoom in on for further investigation, without the image pixelating or becoming too blurry to see.