A buzzer or beeper is a signaling device, usually electronic, typically used in automobiles, household appliances such as a microwave oven, or game shows. Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI Cooper S. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Microwave oven and Microwave heating. ... This article is about the television genre. ...

It most commonly consists of a number of switches or sensors connected to a control unit that determines if and which button was pushed or a preset time has lapsed, and usually illuminates a light on the appropriate button or control panel, and sounds a warning in the form of a continuous or intermittent buzzing or beeping sound. Initially this device was based on an electromechanical system which was identical to an electric bell without the metal gong (which makes the ringing noise). Often these units were anchored to a wall or ceiling and used the ceiling or wall as a sounding board. Another implementation with some AC-connected devices was to implement a circuit to make the AC current into a noise loud enough to drive a loudspeaker and hook this circuit up to a cheap 8-ohm speaker. Nowadays, it is more popular to use a ceramic-based piezoelectric sounder like a Sonalert which makes a high-pitched tone. Usually these were hooked up to "driver" circuits which varied the pitch of the sound or pulsed the sound on and off. Electrical switches. ... Distinguish from censure and censer and censor. ... Sound is a disturbance of mechanical energy that propagates through matter as a longitudinal wave, and therefore is a mechanical wave. ... An electric bell is a form of mechanical bell that functions by means of an electromagnet. ... Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain crystals to produce a voltage when subjected to mechanical stress. ...

In game shows it is also known as a "lockout system," because when one person signals ("buzzes in"), all others are locked out from signalling. Several game shows have large buzzer buttons which are identified as "plungers".

The word "buzzer" comes from the rasping noise that buzzers made when they were electromechanical devices, operated from stepped-down AC line voltage at 50 or 60 cycles. Other sounds commonly used to indicate that a button has been pressed are a ring or a beep.

Some systems, such as the one used on Jeopardy!, make no noise at all, instead using light. Another example is the buzzer at the end of each stage in SASUKE, KUNOICHI, and VIKING. These buzzers do not make a sound or turn on a light; instead, they stop the stage clock and turn on two fog machines flanking the stage exit. Jeopardy! is a popular international television quiz game show, originally devised by Merv Griffin, who also created Wheel of Fortune. ... This article is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Kunoichi romanized as KUNOICHI in Japan) is a womens obstacle course competition held in Japan and broadcast on the Tokyo Broadcasting System. ...

Nowadays some people use the word "buzzer" as to describe a person who's able to create a big buzz around a brand, an event or a company.^{[citation needed]}

External links

Look up buzzer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• A Microsoft Word .doc file about buzzers