Stroboscopic opticon

Stroboscopic opticons are hypnotic devices used by the Decepticons. They project a series of flashing lights that mesmerize their victim, programming them to do whatever the Decepticons say.

Fiction

Marvel The Transformers comics

Astrotrain used a tiny portable stroboscopic opticon on G.B. Blackrock, hypnotizing the unsuspecting human in the aftermath of a battle. The Cure! Blackrock began taking orders from Ratbat. The Decepticons supplied a prototype Wash and Roll car wash, which Blackrock set his company to mass-producing and distributing around the country. Each car wash contained a stroboscopic opticon that would hypnotize anyone who took their car through it, forcing them to do the Decepticons' bidding—in this case, to drive their car to a Decepticon facility and hand over their fuel. Though the device's effects were only temporary, the Decepticons developed a Wash and Roll mark II which contained stroboscopic opticons with permanent effects. Meanwhile Buster Witwicky discovered that the device's hypnotism could be counteracted with flashing lights, and once he'd freed everyone from Decepticon control, Blackrock pledged to have all the Wash and Rolls dismantled. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom