![Love machine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Love_machine.JPG)
A strength tester machine is a type of amusement personality tester machine, which upon receiving credit rates the subject's
strength
Strength may refer to:
Physical strength
*Physical strength, as in people or animals
* Hysterical strength, extreme strength occurring when people are in life-and-death situations
*Superhuman strength, great physical strength far above human c ...
, according to how strongly the person presses levers, squeezes a grip or punches a
punching bag
A punching bag (or, British English, punchbag) is a sturdy bag designed to be repeatedly punched. A punching bag is usually cylindrical, and filled with various materials of suitable hardness.
History
Punching bags have been used in martial ar ...
. In the past, strength testers could mainly be found in
penny arcades and
amusement parks, but they are now also common in
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
-style locations as well as
video arcade
An amusement arcade (often referred to as a video arcade, amusements or simply arcade) is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers (such a ...
s,
bowling alley
A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a clubhouse or dwelling ...
s,
family entertainment center
A family entertainment center, often abbreviated FEC in the entertainment industry also known as an indoor amusement park, family amusement center, family fun center, or simply fun center, is a small amusement park marketed towards families with s ...
s and
disco venues. Modern strength testing machines have become
redemption game
Redemption games are typically arcade games of skill that reward the player proportionally to their score in the game. The reward most often comes in the form of tickets, with more tickets being awarded for higher scores. These tickets can the ...
s and use
LCDs for a video feedback, while some such as
Sega's ''K.O. Punch'' (1981) use a
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
display for feedback.
In media
![Musée Mécanique 160](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Mus%C3%A9e_M%C3%A9canique_160.JPG)
*''
American Restoration
''American Restoration'' is an American reality television series airing on the History channel. Produced by Leftfield Pictures, the first six seasons were recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicled the daily activities at ''Rick's Res ...
'' features a restoration of a Punch-A-Bag strength tester machine from 1910 in the 6th episode "Knockout" and of a strength tester that had stood on the
Santa Monica Pier in the 17th episode "Grippin' Mad".
*''
American Pickers
''American Pickers'' is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History, produced by A&E Television Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of r ...
'' features a 1920s Advance Machine Company electric shock strength tester in the 22nd episode "Laurel and Hardy".
Special forms
Electric shock strength testers evaluate how long someone can stand unperilous
electric shocks. However, most machines in
amusement parks today only utilize vibrations that feels somewhat like an electric shock to someone not expecting it.
Personality strength testers are a type of amusement personality tester machines that try to rate the strength of the subject's character. Such machines are for amusement purposes only and do not actually give a real result.
Gallery
The
Musée Mécanique
The Musée Mécanique (, "Mechanical Museum") is a for-profit interactive museum of 20th-century penny arcade games and artifacts, located at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California. With over 300 mechanical machines, it is one of the w ...
in San Francisco has a collection of over 300 mechanical games, including strength testers:
Musée Mécanique 065.JPG
Musée Mécanique 088.JPG
Musée Mécanique 122.JPG
Musée Mécanique 134.JPG
Musée Mécanique 058.JPG
Uncle Sam carnival game....Hot Stuff meter.jpg, A personality strength tester at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop is a store founded in 1899, on the Central Waterfront of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is currently located on Pier 54. Best known today as a souvenir shop, it also has aspects of a dime museum, and was for man ...
See also
*
High striker, a strength tester utilizing a lever and a puck specifically
*
Love tester machine
A love tester machine (also called ''love meter'' or ''love teller'') is a type of amusement personality tester machine, which upon receiving credit tries to rate the subject's sex appeal, love abilities or romantic feelings for someone. Many lo ...
*
Fortune teller machine
A fortune teller machine (also known as a genie machine or mechanical genie) is a type of amusement automaton, which upon receiving credit gives out a card with a prediction of the reader's future. This is typically given by an automaton. They ...
Notes
External links
Mercury Athletic Scales Strength Tester coin-operated arcade machine game*
ttp://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/ingo.htm Ingo Strength Tester United Distributing coin-operated arcade game
Commercial machines
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