Volconvo Debate Forums - View Single Post - US military unveils heat-ray gun:

Trent · Jan 27, 2007, 10:21 pm

Heat energy up to 54C (130F) penetrates less than 0.5mm of skin
Manufacturers say this avoids injury, although long-term effects are not known

"What happens when people are in the first rows of a dense crowd and cannot flee?" asks Dr Steve Wright, associate director of Leeds Metropolitan University's Praxis Centre, which studies conflict resolution technology.
"How do subjects exposed from a distance know where to flee from the beam?
"People hit the pain waves and don't know which way to run."
Such a weapon also has the potential to cause panic and deadly stampedes, Dr Wright says.
He is also concerned that America is developing weapons of "tuneable lethality" whereby "you can tune in the amount of pain the weapon provides, from heating to death".

BBC NEWS | Americas | How hot is the heat-ray gun?

My big question would be: Could it possibly cause skin cancer in later life? Because if there is a possibility, then it can hardly be called a non-lethal weapon, can it?

The Moral Question

1958: British Army use CS tear gas in Cyprus
1960s: Lorry-mounted water cannon used in US
1960s: UK uses baton rounds - wood, rubber, finally plastic
1980s: Pepper spray - a bear repellent - adopted by US police forces

Whether or not the 'ray-gun' is a top-of-the-range, smart-as-they-come, breakthrough in crowd control technology or a slung together gimmick to try and confuse the enemy, who knows?

Who cares?

I mean, surely there is something more important to be considered here?
1984? Does that mean anything to you?

Suppose they try this thing out and it all goes badly wrong– say, it causes a mass panic resulting in a stampede – or it causes pregnant women to miscarry – or suddenly all the children hit by it in the Gaza strip start going blind – and lets say that as a result of that, ordinary people around the word begin to demonstrate in large numbers.

So, 'they' go ahead and make a new improved model – only this one strikes from the sky, via satellite.

So, the people riot
– and how do 'they' react? They turn the red dial right the f*ck up there and they take you out at any time.
George Orwell, Phillip K Dick, eat your dead hearts out……

(hey, I'm just kidding - right?)

Jan 27, 2007, 10:21 pm	#43 (permalink) (top)
Trent Molten Ash Posts: 90	Heat energy up to 54C (130F) penetrates less than 0.5mm of skin Manufacturers say this avoids injury, although long-term effects are not known "What happens when people are in the first rows of a dense crowd and cannot flee?" asks Dr Steve Wright, associate director of Leeds Metropolitan University's Praxis Centre, which studies conflict resolution technology. "How do subjects exposed from a distance know where to flee from the beam? "People hit the pain waves and don't know which way to run." Such a weapon also has the potential to cause panic and deadly stampedes, Dr Wright says. He is also concerned that America is developing weapons of "tuneable lethality" whereby "you can tune in the amount of pain the weapon provides, from heating to death". BBC NEWS \| Americas \| How hot is the heat-ray gun? My big question would be: Could it possibly cause skin cancer in later life? Because if there is a possibility, then it can hardly be called a non-lethal weapon, can it? The Moral Question 1958: British Army use CS tear gas in Cyprus 1960s: Lorry-mounted water cannon used in US 1960s: UK uses baton rounds - wood, rubber, finally plastic 1980s: Pepper spray - a bear repellent - adopted by US police forces Whether or not the 'ray-gun' is a top-of-the-range, smart-as-they-come, breakthrough in crowd control technology or a slung together gimmick to try and confuse the enemy, who knows? Who cares? I mean, surely there is something more important to be considered here? 1984? Does that mean anything to you? Suppose they try this thing out and it all goes badly wrong– say, it causes a mass panic resulting in a stampede – or it causes pregnant women to miscarry – or suddenly all the children hit by it in the Gaza strip start going blind – and lets say that as a result of that, ordinary people around the word begin to demonstrate in large numbers. So, 'they' go ahead and make a new improved model – only this one strikes from the sky, via satellite. So, the people riot – and how do 'they' react? They turn the red dial right the f*ck up there and they take you out at any time. George Orwell, Phillip K Dick, eat your dead hearts out…… (hey, I'm just kidding - right?)