Hollywood's Gadget Factories "As recounted by William Shatner in his book, Dr. McCoy's famous hand-held medical scanners were actually stylish Swedish salt shakers provided by the "Star Trek" prop department, but TV shows have gotten far more sophisticated with visuals. In the case of "Alias," a combination of sharp writing, nimble prop design and solid acting can make the fictional gadgets sound real enough to inspire a trip to Radio Shack."