Posted on 03/02/2005 5:59:00 PM PST by LibWhacker
The US military is funding development of a weapon that delivers a bout of excruciating pain from up to 2 kilometres away. Intended for use against rioters, it is meant to leave victims unharmed. But pain researchers are furious that work aimed at controlling pain has been used to develop a weapon. And they fear that the technology will be used for torture.
"I am deeply concerned about the ethical aspects of this research," says Andrew Rice, a consultant in pain medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, UK. "Even if the use of temporary severe pain can be justified as a restraining measure, which I do not believe it can, the long-term physical and psychological effects are unknown."
The research came to light in documents unearthed by the Sunshine Project, an organisation based in Texas and in Hamburg, Germany, that exposes biological weapons research. The papers were released under the US's Freedom of Information Act.
One document, a research contract between the Office of Naval Research and the University of Florida in Gainsville, US, is entitled "Sensory consequences of electromagnetic pulses emitted by laser induced plasmas".
It concerns so-called Pulsed Energy Projectiles (PEPs), which fire a laser pulse that generates a burst of expanding plasma when it hits something solid, like a person (New Scientist print edition, 12 October 2002). The weapon, destined for use in 2007, could literally knock rioters off their feet. Pain trigger
According to a 2003 review of non-lethal weapons by the US Naval Studies Board, which advises the navy and marine corps, PEPs produced "pain and temporary paralysis" in tests on animals. This appears to be the result of an electromagnetic pulse produced by the expanding plasma which triggers impulses in nerve cells.
The new study, which runs until July and will be carried out with researchers at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, aims to optimise this effect. The idea is to work out how to generate a pulse which triggers pain neurons without damaging tissue.
The contract, heavily censored before release, asks researchers to look for "optimal pulse parameters to evoke peak nociceptor activation" - in other words, cause the maximum pain possible. Studies on cells grown in the lab will identify how much pain can be inflicted on someone before causing injury or death. Long-term risk
New Scientist contacted two researchers working on the project. Martin Richardson, a laser expert at the University of Central Florida, US, refused to comment. Brian Cooper, an expert in dental pain at the University of Florida, distanced himself from the work, saying "I don't have anything interesting to convey. I was just providing some background for the group." His name appears on a public list of the university's research projects next to the $500,000-plus grant.
John Wood of University College London, UK, an expert in how the brain perceives pain, says the researchers involved in the project should face censure. "It could be used for torture," he says, "the [researchers] must be aware of this."
Amanda Williams, a clinical psychologist at University College London, fears that victims risk long-term harm. "Persistent pain can result from a range of supposedly non-destructive stimuli which nevertheless change the functioning of the nervous system," she says. She is concerned that studies of cultured cells will fall short of demonstrating a safe level for a plasma burst. "They cannot tell us about the pain and psychological consequences of such a painful experience."
Fine. Fine. I prefer shooting rioters in the gut and lighting them on fire, anyway.
lol!
Ouch, glanced at post 6 and went blind in my left eye.
Fetch... the Comfy Chair.
If they can figure out a way to give them kidney stones that would do it.
Bad guys should never "hear" the pain.......bullets travel too fast !
Common theme in sci-fi. Now apparently we're getting there for real, no collars or belts required!
lol. That's the spirt. That will get the DUmmies' panties in a wad.
During the fight, they were constantly stepping on the areas they were not allowed to.
Also that was the ugliest beautiful woman I have ever seen. She looks like a troll doll.
He's in maximum pain, Jim.
Bingo, everybodies happy!!!
That was the episode where they 'tranported/transposed' into an alternate universe where the United Federation of Planets was an imperial structure ruled by Humans and Vulcans.
So, I guess they'd feel better about it if we just shot the SOB's? Whatever......
Let's see if I can design this. You have a carrier wave (light) modulated by kilowatt peaks. Those peaks must have their periods extended long enough to be felt by humans. Those square waves must also be modulated by a low frequency.
If I'm up a tree with this concept, tell me why.
Liberals have no logic or common sense, even more, they are out of their minds.
You know, Eak... I think yer on to somethin' here!!!
In Vietnam war days I worked on an airborne laser target designator system. The beam was infrared from a YAG laser which emitted 10 nanosecond pulses at something like 10 megawatts power. It was expanded to about 2 inches in diameter near the emitter, and at that size it produced an audible snapping sound when striking dry grass. One afternoon we were adjusting the boresight from the back dock of our building when I saw a crow sitting on a utility pole crossbar. The devil made me do it; I zeroed the beam on the crow and gave him a burst, expecting some kind of spectacular response. The old boy didn't pay a bit of attention. I presume his feathers were reflective enough that no heating took place.
Moral: For every weapon, countermeasures can be devised.
It's the brown noise!!!! AAAAGGGGHHHH!
(ref. South Park)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.