**So I thought that I would alternate between theories and questions. Here are some questions about Dex's ability. Feel free to disprove any reasoning and answer the questions so I can see what other people think. The bolded words are the questions and in regular is information that made me think of the questions. Please answer under the reasoning.**

How long has he had the ability?

In book one, the first time Dex goes to Havenfield, Dex says he's pretty good with gadgets. This is only the second time we meet him. This is merely her third or fourth day in the lost cities. And it is on page 154. He tells her that he is pretty good with gadgets, so he would have to know from experience. 

Why didn't his ability testing mentor know he is a technopath?

On page 285 of book one, Dex talks about how they test the prodigies for every ability except pyrokinetics. That would mean they had tested them for technopathy. If he already was a technopath, surely his mentor would have noticed. Why didn't they?