Silence Gun: Strange weapon of the future immediately quiets you, whether you like it

[MNeagle]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/jqum6rfUkzbzdGkTW_0jYA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/technews/mw-630-crazy-sound-gun-omg.jpg

[MNeagle]

Ever since humans first invented guns, they've been inventing new uses for them. Some shoot bullets; others shoot lasers (http://www.tecca.com/news/2012/02/01/xappr-gun-atk-preorder/). But a strange and unsettling new gun being developed by Japanese researchers shoots sound waves in an effort to disrupt and silence anyone who dares speak out of turn.

The gun operates based on the concept of delayed auditory feedback. An attached microphone picks up the sound being made by the target and plays it back 0.2 seconds later. The effect is incredibly confusing to the human brain, making it all but impossible to talk or hold a conversation. The device doesn't cause the person it's being used on any physical harm — it simply messes with their head.

When the human brain hears its own speech perfectly in sync during normal speech, it easily processes the input and allows you to largely ignore the sound of your own voice. However, by offsetting the response just a bit, the brain hears your mouth speaking as well as the strange echo effect produced by the gun. This unusual combination is confusing enough to effectively shut down the part of your brain responsible for managing speech, and you fall immediately silent.

The first versions of the weapon — if we can even call it that — were dependent on a separate PC to process the input and relay it back to the speaker. However, the second prototype (pictured above) does away with the need for additional hardware and includes all the necessary processing bits within its casing, making it easily portable.

The developers say the gun could be used for seemingly innocuous purposes, such as enforcing rules requiring library patrons to keep quiet. It could also see action during large meetings when it is important that onlookers not disrupt the speaker; anyone who fancies a noisy outburst would immediatley be silenced by the high-tech handheld.

The free speech implications of the speech jammer are somewhat disconcerting: A protestor or speaker at a political rally could be easily silenced just for having unpopular views. Political rallies and other protest gatherings could easily be quieted by the strange gun, should law enforcement or other agencies decide to equip themselves with the technology.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/weird-gun-future-attacks-words-not-people-193050045.html

[MNeagle]

wondering if this is effective for crowds, or just individuals...

[Awoke]

If I was pissed off, and was trying to make a point, I could talk a hole right through that thing.

[Golden]

This effect can be witnessed in Sunday chats when synchronizing mics and speakers.

[StreetsOfGold]

The MOST important thing satan wants to accomplish is SILENCE the preachers, the STREET preachers, since they are the ones that are not preaching under a 501c3 corporation and are in the public domain where folks who normanly would not HEAR the word of God can.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[steyr_m]

It looks to silence individuals. hence the directional mic and speaker. The mic will pick up the sound and invert the phase and shoot it back and the "victim" canceling out his voice . This works the same as noise canceling headphones.

[SLV^GLD]

I'd like to experience this thing in an experimental test environment. Having dealt with a similar effect of high latency cell phone connections I think the brain can compensate.

[osoab]

What happens if you are speaking through a megaphone?

[SLV^GLD]

What happens if you knock the shit out of the guy with the silence gun?

[MNeagle]

I imagine this tech is years-old, and are only letting out the outdated info. I mean really, look at the size of that thing! Now compare what capacity a small i-phone has...

[hoarder]

One more weapon we can add to the list of weapons that governments have and citizens don't.

[Buddha]

I have a weapon that they don't have, a human heart.

[madfranks]

From reading the article, it doesn't look like it actually mutes anything, it just tries to confuse the speaker into silencing themselves. A couple times I've heard an echo of myself while talking on my cell phone, and while it is annoying and (maybe at first) confusing, it's not that hard to ignore.

[steyr_m]

I imagine this tech is years-old, and are only letting out the outdated info. I mean really, look at the size of that thing! Now compare what capacity a small i-phone has...

Yeah but your phone is a totally different device. That device needs to project sound at a relative greater distance. To do that you need power [via batteries] and a big honkin' speaker. You can scale that stuff down only so much.

[Awoke]

When are these going to be available on the commercial market?

There will be a lot of happy husbands out there! LOL

http://traditionalchristianity.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/nagging_wife.jpg


(Just kidding ladies!!!)

[Gaillo]

In my business, I occasionally deal with this total ASSHOLE who puts his P.O.S. cellphone in "speakerphone" mode, then tries to have over-the-phone meetings lasting a half hour or longer. The net effect is an "echo" where I hear myself, slightly delayed, just like the silence gun does. At first, I couldn't stand it... it was almost impossible to talk and VERY confusing... but cellphone dickhead pretty much ignored my requests that he turn speakerphone off, and I had to adapt. I can now carry on conversations with the prick and hardly even notice the echo any more. I bet that silence gun would have little to zero effect on me! ;D

[TheNocturnalEgyptian]

How does the sound gets back to you?

We know they can put actual voices in your head using the resonance frequency of your skull, there have been articles on it

I would bet this gun uses that technology and not a normal "speaker system" where it's just blasting your own voice. Why would they want to amplify what you are saying, in order to shut you up?

I haven't seen tests yet but I would imagine the target is the only one who can hear the echo/feedback.