For a more humane weapon for future wars that may lead to zero
collateral damage
Sound and Fury
Sonic Bullets to Be Acoustic Weapon of the Future
By Judy Muller
July 16 Anyone who has seen Tom Cruise fire his state-of-the-art
sound wave gun at his pursuers in Minority Report no doubt assumes
it is a weapon from the arsenal of science fiction. But such a
weapon, or at least a less-glamorous version, is scientific
fact.
Woody Norris, the CEO of American Technology Corporation and a
pioneer in ultrasound technology, has developed a non-lethal
acoustic weapon that stops people in their tracks.
"[For] most people," said Norris, "even if they plug their ears, it
will produce the equivalent of an instant migraine. Some people, it
will knock them on their knees."
The device emits so-called "sonic bullets" along a narrow, intense
beam up to 145 decibels, 50 times the human threshold of pain. It
usually doesn't take that much to stop someone, as we learned in a
demonstration in the company parking lot. The acoustic "weapon," in
the demonstration model, looks like a huge stereo speaker, except
this one sports urban camouflage.
The operator chooses one of many annoying sounds in the computer
in this case, the high pitched wail of a baby, played backwards
and aims it at us. At 110 decibels, we were forced to walk out of
the beam's path, our ears ringing. Had we stayed longer, Norris
said our skulls would literally start to vibrate.
Police departments and the Pentagon are flocking to Norris'
headquarters in San Diego to see this revolutionary technology for
themselves.
The problem with past attempts to make an acoustic weapon is that
sound traveled in every direction, affecting the operator, as well.
Norris' narrow ultrasound beam takes care of that problem, meaning
police could use it to subdue suspects or quell riots, without
hurting bystanders or the operator, because the sound is
directional.
"Tear gas lingers long after you've fired off the canisters," said
Norris. "This, you switch it off and it's gone. And the damage is
only temporary."
Army to Use as Sonic Cannons
The U.S. Army has already ordered its own prototype of the
non-lethal acoustic weapon. It will be packaged in a camouflaged
cylinder and either be handheld or mounted on an armored car.
Two security experts who were at the company on behalf of the
Defense Department said it would be terrific for repelling suicide
bombers and for rousting terrorists from their hideouts. Because
the sound ricochets in tight, enclosed areas, said retired Marine
Col. Peter Dotto, it would make it very uncomfortable for al Qaeda
terrorists to stay in Afghan caves.
"They would have to come out," said Dotto, "and they probably would
come out with their hands over their ears so they would be very
easy to subdue at that point."
Practical Uses, Too
Not all the applications of this new technology are pain-inducing.
Norris has invented a related acoustic device called the Hypersonic
Sound System. Only when he turns the speaker in your direction, do
you hear the message. For instance, liquid being poured over ice
was the sound requested by a soda company to inspire people within
earshot of a vending machine to quench their thirst.
Norris tried out the acoustic beam at a mall near his office and
passers-by all stopped to listen when the sound was aimed at them.
"That is absolutely amazing," said one woman, "it sounds like the
sound is inside your head."
There are dozens of potential commercial uses, from shooing away
pesky birds (geese off of golf courses, for example) to directing
television sound so it doesn't disturb a sleeping spouse.
Whether friend or "friendly fire," this new technology is likely to
affect almost every aspect of our lives, in ways we can only begin
to imagine
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/sonic_bullet020716.html