etli

http://www.raytheon.com/products/silent_guardian/

Hi folks,

This was was on slashdot.org yesterday I think. Apparantly, Raytheon has developed a contraption that is basically a glorified microwave oven that causes pain to people at a distance. It's not exactly a star trek phaser thingie but I think we can all call this thing a ray gun. (Please note; the Army seems pretty hilariously adamant that journailists NOT call it a ray gun because..... er, I dunno) I think I saw this thing on Discovery Channel a couple of months ago. It causes a burning sensation on the skin up to a 1/2 mile from the transmitter. In theory, it causes no permanent damage. (er, yeah.....)

So I can really imagine a LOT of abuse of this thing. Interrogations / Torture? A device that causes excruciating pain but no visible permanent physical damage? Eek - Amnesty int'l is gonna be ____ed about this thing once Raytheon starts selling it. Some less-than scrupulous interrogater will make someone sit on this thing. Ouch.

On the other hand, I kind of want one for my car.
"PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING."
"ZZZTTTT"
"AAARGGHHH"

I wonder if the rays can be blocked by wrapping yourself in aluminum foil? All the crazy people with foil hats were right!

scionofPCFL

The army has routinely been denied the ability to use it in Iraq. Which is a shame, because this thing has "crowd control" written all over it. Some knuckle head starts firing in the crowd? Just blast the area. You don't have to worry about harming the citizens permenantly, and you can incapaciate the shooter in no time at all.

I wonder what happens if you wore an aluminum foil suit?

burstaneurysm

I researched crowd control methods like this in one of my acoustics/audio systems courses... it's really cool stuff.

jct

then you get the red necks on this ray guy so they can cook up some turkey left overs or go hunting for some deer already cooked and ready to eat :rolf:

mrfuzzy4

ill take 2! yeah i saw this on future weapons i think. it was the shiit!

they should use it. its safer then tazer

etli

Well, only until someone figures out that it isn't safer than the taser for whatever reason....

It seems that anything you do, make, or say will make someone somewhere unhappy.

jct

just point it at 'em and nuke 'em (not the bomb)

also a good way to plow snow with out the plow

Skeorx13

I'd like to see the exact science behind that... Is it interacting with the skin cells, the nerve cells, or the pain center of the brain?

scionofPCFL

It's exciting the molecules in the skin which gives the sensation of burning skin.

That's why I say eff 'em. I'm going to make myeself happy and screw the rest.

xlr8tC

kill everybody....let god sort us out. forget stunning people. where's the fun in that?

if i remember correctly, the gun flash boils the water just below the skin. it makes you feel like you are being scalded all over. although, i would think that the expanding fluid/gas would need somewhere to go. oh well, i've only seen reports on it.

scionofPCFL

I was thiking of something else, sorry.

edited to remove my 'tarded statement.

captainlaziness

But if the water is excited to the point turning to steam?

xlr8tC

see, i don't know if it gets that hot. i know the program said it flash boils the water, which in my mind turns water to steam. but maybe they meant it instantly turns the water to really hot water.

scionofPCFL

Steaming and boiling are out of the question:
So it's like having a hot tea tossed all over you.

xlr8tC

yeah, the hot spots wouldn't even get close to 212F.

Skeorx13

Ok, so well below the boiling point. Imagine that hitting your eyes though... yeow.

CDogbert

I personally like loading up a truck of speakers and playing the brown note for crowd control. But I guess microwaving people works, too... or dropping a ___ bomb on them.

scionofPCFL

It doesn't have to hit you in the eyes, anywhere on your person will hurt very badly and make you want to stop whatever it is you're doing.

Also, consider the demorilizing effect it could have on a crowd. Many won't even have a clue as to what is happening, they'll just think God is angry with them or something.

etli

Or, the gub'mint starts using it at Guantanamo to interrogate prisoners.

Or the (insert gov't name here) starts using it on people who disagree with them.

Pain without physical consequence (in theory). So, would you just park someone in front of this thing, turn it to "broil" and then go home and get some sleep?

There is no such thing as a weapon so horrible that people won't use it.

scionofPCFL

Or Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane uses it get a written confession for 2 boys traveling through Alabama in a mint green convertable for the murder of a well loved convience store clerk.

It's one of those Pandora's box type of things, and we really don't know where this will take us.