New Sonic Weapons Used Against G-20 Protesters

Machines called "long-range acoustic devices," or LRADs, were used to break-up protests at the G20 without leaving the kind of visual evidence caused by pepper spray, rubber bullets, or aerosol hand grenades.  The LRAD's inventors at the American Technology Corporation (ATC) talk about this device in regards to its powers of communication. As Robert Putnam of ATC's media and investor relations said when interviewed by MSNBC, “The LRAD basically is the ability to communicate clearly from 300 meters to 3 kilometers. It’s a focused output. What distinguishes it from other communications tools out there is its ability to be heard clearly and intelligibly at a distance, unlike bullhorns.”

However, the videos in this news article clearly aren't showcasing any long-range communication capabilities this LRAD may have. Instead, they show a police vehicle with the device on top blaring an obviously painful message to the peacefully protesting crowd: Go home.

Though the sound quality of the videos obviously leaves something to be desired, the sound cannon is clearly doing its job, and well. The protesters stood their ground when policemen were marching at them in step, rhythmically slamming their batons on their riot shields in an attempt to unnerve them. However, when the LRAD is turned on, the protesters disperse, clutching their ears.

This technology has been used against insurgents in Iraq, and, according to the BBC, the “shrill sound of an LRAD at its loudest sounds something like a domestic smoke alarm, ATC says, but at 150 decibels, it is the aural equivalent to standing 30m away from a roaring jet engine and can cause major hearing damage if misused.”

Some may find it unsettling, then, that these devices have been turned on peacefully protesting Americans on our home soil. Don't worry, though-- there is a volume knob which can be turned down from the maximum, and so our eardrums are surely in good hands. Never mind that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that permanent hearing loss can result from sounds at about 110 to 120 decibels in short bursts or even just 75 decibels if exposure lasts for long periods.

There was a post about this weapon on Evolver News.

Image: "blue sonar" by TheAlieness GiselaGiardino on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.