Can sound be used for crowd control?
Many reports seem to conflate the LRAD, sometimes called a “sound cannon”, with other devices for crowd control such as the Active Denial System. Rather than sound, this uses millimetre-wave radiation to cause the nerve receptors in the upper layer of skin to feel an incredible heat via dielectric heating.
What are LRAD weapons?
“Long-Range Acoustic Devices”, or LRADs (also called “sound cannons”), were designed as a military weapon for use in Afghanistan. They were designed to communicate with a potential threat over a very long distance, and also to be able to “disperse” a potential threat with a high-pitched “deterrent tone.”
Can you protect yourself from an LRAD?
Use earplugs or safety ear muffs with the highest dB-reduction rating you can find; look for places to shelter – sound waves deflect off dense and rigid surfaces, so brick and concrete walls are a good bet; in case of no earplugs and shelter, go left or right if the LRAD is in front of you, rather than just backing up …
Can LRAD damage hearing?
Although LRADs can be used to project human voices or recordings across long distances, they are also used to emit a so-called “deterrent tone” that is capable of resulting in permanent hearing loss or hearing damage.
Do earplugs protect against LRAD?
If you think police might be using an LRAD at a protest you’re attending, bring earplugs or safety ear muffs with the highest dB-reduction rating you can find. Foam earplugs, available at many pharmacies, are inexpensive and effective.
How do sonic attacks work?
Extremely high-power sound waves can disrupt or destroy the eardrums of a target and cause severe pain or disorientation. This is usually sufficient to incapacitate a person. Less powerful sound waves can cause humans to experience nausea or discomfort.
Do earplugs stop LRAD?
Do earplugs help against LRAD?
But a simple pair of earplugs is all it takes to protect people from the sound cannons. In 2010, we gave 7000 pairs of earplugs to G20 protesters in Toronto after police purchased four LRADs.
Do ear plugs protect against LRAD?
How does the LRAD work?
An LRAD is a loudspeaker-like device that emits a focused beam of sound. What makes these systems unique is that rather than transmitting sound like a loudspeaker in many directions (similar to the way a lightbulb emits light), LRAD systems transmit sound in a narrow beam (much like a flashlight).
What does an LRAD machine do?
LRAD devices have become widely used for communications, and increasingly for crowd control in a range of settings, including civil disturbances and protests.