Greatest People on Earth

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Harmful Sounds: Weapons of Noise





For years now, law enforcement and military groups have been perfecting weapons that use audible and ultrasonic frequencies to deter or harm their targets.

 Using loud sounds, LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, warns vessels that do not answer to radio orders to keep clear of naval ships. The range of these 'weapons' is very large. Sounds can dissipate due to atmospheric conditions or variations in topographical features.

 Local police have been using a device that they use in conjunction with their sirens. Some have dubbed it the 'thumper', citing the thumping pressure that the target of the sound feels when it's directed toward them. The cops started using this device to gain the attention of someone they are pulling over in case the driver is blasting the music inside the car at very high levels or deaf. This 'thump' is an ultrasonic pulse emitted from an added device from under the police cruiser's hood.

 Crowd control devices have also evolved to include sounds. No more wasting precious water resources by washing riotous crowds down with fire hoses. Now the masses can be targeted with an ultrasonic pain field. Subjects hit by this seem to exhibit disorientation, confusion, uncontrollable twitching, and sometimes seizures. Huge machines mounted on large vehicles produce wide enough swaths of ultrasonic waves that one shot can immobilize around thirty people from up to fifty yards away.

 I've thought about carrying around earplugs, just in case someone goes rogue with these types of devices, but in most cases, this would only keep the blood in my ears from spilling out. None of these are reported to cause that kind of injury, but I'm sure it feels like it.

20 comments:

  1. Ahhhhh! I actually use a picture of an LRAD setup in an advertisement for my radio show! That stuff is pretty interesting, but evil. I think you have a damn good idea about carrying around earplugs!

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  2. Guess anarchists are going to have to start packing gun mufflers when they riot.

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  3. If you've ever heard the sound a crowd of small girls make over seeing someone like Justin Bieber, you know you've heard one.

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  4. Loud bass noises can cramp you up as well, scary how they turn sound into weaponry.

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  5. Sound into weaponry... I think Merzbow does that.

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  6. Earplugs don't help, some of those sound weapons feels like burning. Over your whole body

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  7. Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence Following!

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  8. It's no myth Diego. I've seen footage of tests of these types of weapons. I would hate to feel like I was burning alive.

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  9. Its the next age of high tech weaponry. Sound blasting your enemies haha. sound useful for police though.

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  10. Every sense has its weakness turned into a weapon it seems...except smell...maybe.

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  11. I've heard about this already, it is not as sick as biological warfare but pretty messed up.
    You can also use a similar method to create audio drugs.

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  12. Thanks for the follow. I've joined newstuff. You're a talent!
    Robyn

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  13. Well, I'll condition myself to these by playing my music louder and louder every day.

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  14. Taking into consideration the fact that almost anything ca be used as a weapon, as long as you know how to use it, is no wonder that sounds can be used as the like.
    You sparked interest on this topic from me, I'll be looking for more.

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  15. Now how can I get one of these for home use?

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  16. I've heard about this before, pretty cool.

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  17. This is scary "/. Great post! +1

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