https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=86.88.117.225 2026-05-28T20:52:18Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.45.3 https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=Rubsign&diff=91612 2007-05-05T20:13:10Z

<p>86.88.117.225: </p> <hr /> <div>A '''rubsign''' was a small heat-sensitive sticker that came pre-applied to [[Generation 1]] toys beginning in the line's second year, 1985. They would reveal an [[Autobot]] or [[Decepticon]] [[faction symbols|faction symbol]] upon being rubbed. The [[Mini Spies]] were the first toys to feature rubsigns. The purpose of the rubsign addition was to help consumers distinguish genuine Transformers toys from the many [[knockoff]]s their success inspired (off-brand versions of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], and his [[Mini Cassette|cassettes]] were particularly common in 84/85), as well as the [[Tonka Go-Bots]] and other competitors. A variation on the rubsigns were also used in the spin-off [[Hasbro]]/[[Takara]] toyline ''[[Battle Beasts]]''.<br /> <br /> By 1988, rubsigns were dropped from the line (presumably as most of the competition had been long-buried), even though several toys from that year still had molded spots for them. They would not appear again on ''Transformers'' toys until the second year of ''[[Beast Wars]]'' product in 1997, called &quot;hidden [[energon chip]]s&quot;. They continued through the next year's [[Fuzors]] and [[Transmetal]]s, but were replaced by the time of the Transmetal 2s (and in the ''[[Beast Wars Neo]]'' new-mold toys) with &quot;[[spark crystal]]s&quot;.<br /> <br /> Rubsigns recently were re-re-introduced to the ''Transformers'' line in 2006 with the [[Classics (2006)|Classics]] series.<br /> <br /> <br /> ===Operating principles===<br /> The working part of a rubsign is a layer of Mylar plastic which contains thermochromic liquid crystals. At different temperatures, the liquid crystals' molecular structure changes, reflecting different wavelengths of light, and making a visible [[faction symbols|faction symbol]] appear. Mood rings work by the same principle, but have more bogus magical properties.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{stub}}<br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/cpmt/presentations/cpmt0201b.pdf Paper on the uses of liquid crystal thermography, apparently but not actually written by G1 Perceptor.]<br /> <br /> [[Category:Generation 1]]<br /> [[Category:Toys]]&lt;div id=&quot;wikia-credits&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;small&gt;From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.&lt;/small&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</div>

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