When you want to trace which cable goes where from your desk to the PC case, use Cord Plug Finding Climber Trolleys. They’re small motorized rechargeable wheeled vehicles that clip to your external PC wires, and race along them, in either direction. They each have an LED headlight and a label for a device (mouse, keyboard, iPod, etc). They clip to various diameters, to work with power cords, USB, or adapter cables.
When the trolleys reach the back of the PC, you know which is which by the label on the trolley. This is handy if you’re at a friend’s place, and the wires aren’t marked. But I’d use them on my PC for the extra lighting, and because I’d enjoy sending the little trolleys on their way. They’ll come in handy for audio/video system cables, too. And there can be a high-torque version of the trolley to pull a new cord up or down to you.
If your cords are knotted and tangled, fix that first. But if a climber stops at a knot, at least it will be illuminated.-- Amos Kito, Mar 21 2008 Bright cables Bright_20cablesthe underdesk railway was inspired by multi-colored wires and illuminated USB cords, such as the Bright cables idea. And then it got out of hand. [Amos Kito, Mar 21 2008] Could it be used to carry slaved discs to safety, or Canada?-- ConsulFlaminicus, Mar 21 2008 I'll take a dozen, and watch the rats' nest seethe. [+]-- pertinax, Mar 21 2008 Superminaturised luminous sloths ? [+]-- 8th of 7, Mar 21 2008 what a great idea.-- po, Mar 21 2008 + cute and very practical!-- xandram, Mar 21 2008 If this would work, I'd be a HUGE fan, but the advent of cable ties makes this mute. Better to just sell pairs of snap-on beads. Clip one at the top, slide the other to the bottom using gravity. Low profile would get it thru more knots than motors.-- MisterQED, Mar 21 2008 Tes, but a robotic micromachine could have little rotary chewy cutty pincery thingies on the front to hack its way through to its objective ........-- 8th of 7, Mar 21 2008 On second thought, I'll change my mind. If these were made small enough an had two sets of rollers, one facing the cable and another facing out, the micromachine might just squeeze thru a cable tie to get to the destination. (+)-- MisterQED, Mar 21 2008 If it could go in either direction, would it count as a Turing machine ?-- 8th of 7, Mar 21 2008 random, halfbakery