Investigating the Paulsen UFO story and the Bruce DePalma claims of overunity, the author began an earnest scientific endeavor in 1980 to build and test a homopolar generator (HPG) for the elusive back torque which had never been measured before in a one-piece HPG. The question of whether this generator could function as a free-energy device is discussed in the light of the experimental findings. New energy and emerging energy technology category.