Homeland Security's latest non-lethal weapon: the pukelight

Someone in Homeland Security's R&D department must have a sense of humor, because the agency is hoping to soon deploy an LED flashlight that causes uncontrollable vomiting. The light, which is being developed for DHS at Intelligent Optical Systems, first shines a high-intensity beam to stun the target and then begins flashing a series of pulses that change color and duration -- inducing "psychophysical" effects that that include nausea, vertigo, and vomiting. While the concept isn't that far-fetched -- similar symptoms have been seen in helicopter pilots affected by sunlight strobing through spinning blades -- you've got to wonder how many thousands of dollars have been spent developing a weapon that can be defeated by simply looking away.

[Via ABC News]

[jokesonewe @ Aug 7th 2007 7:49AM]

Hey, as long as it's not a recorder used to create the "brown note", I'm all for it.

[Dave @ Aug 7th 2007 7:51AM]

different from going to raves how? :)

[Chuckles McGee @ Aug 7th 2007 8:54AM]

Victims aren't also abusing MDMA.

[feistyfawn @ Aug 7th 2007 8:00AM]

this somehow reminds me of the sick sticks they used in minority report... coincidence? i think not.

[Eric @ Aug 7th 2007 8:00AM]

This should work nicely in a bar or club... Combined with strobe lights it should be of some entertainment value.

[nih @ Aug 7th 2007 8:05AM]

You laugh now.

Wait until it's a mandatory installation on the inside of your eyelids.

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 8:23AM]

It's useless as a weapon, since you can look away, but it's a very useful torture instrument (no traces), and that's sadly what the land of the free will probably use it for.

[Maestro @ Aug 7th 2007 8:38AM]

And closing your eyes or looking away from your enemy makes you less vulnerable how?

[Steven @ Aug 7th 2007 8:55AM]

I wouldn't say it is useless. Try and shoot me with your eyes closed or while looking away; unless you are Chuck Norris I have an advantage. I wonder what the effective exposure time for symptom display is? Granted the idea is supposed to be nonlethal, but if in military I don't see myself putting aside my AK for a flashlight; secondary add on with trigger sensitivity activation? Difficult to scope target that is blinding you with vomit inducing light.

[uberfu @ Aug 7th 2007 8:36AM]

Won't this only work at night ?

What if someone is wearing sunglasses ?

What if someone isn't wearing any glasses but has a minor vision impairment ?

What about those people suseptible to seizures caused by strobe lights ?

I see nothing good from this_ I see lawsuits just waiting for a case_

[Osama @ Aug 7th 2007 8:37AM]

Just watch those terrorists crap their pants when a SWAT squad armed with glowsticks and Vicks Vapo-Rub busts down their door.

[NHAnimator @ Aug 7th 2007 8:46AM]

I have no problem giving Jack Bauer a new flashlight.

[pyxopotamus @ Aug 7th 2007 12:51PM]

You can immobilize their head, and use little pincers to keep their
eyes open. This is sounding so exciting.

[fini @ Aug 7th 2007 8:50AM]

Personally, I find this idea sickening.

[Aaron @ Aug 7th 2007 10:13AM]

But then, that's entirely the point, eh?

[John Wilkens @ Aug 7th 2007 2:06PM]

were you trying to be punny? cause that was a good one... sickening.... haha

[zwerdlds @ Aug 7th 2007 9:07AM]

Look. See, this is why DARPA doesn't tell you what projects they're working on. Thanks Engadget, you just gave away how to thwart the Pentagon's latest superweapon to the terrorists. Well, at least when the next terrorist act happens, we'll know to blame DARPA and Engadget as the conspirators!

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 7th 2007 9:11AM]

HEY YOU!
LOOK OVER HERE!


AWWW C'MON, LOOOK!!

[Crazylink @ Aug 7th 2007 9:12AM]

What happens when someone with epilepsy gets hit with this?

[Warhorse @ Aug 7th 2007 10:06AM]

They might bruise.

[Ike Turner @ Aug 7th 2007 9:25AM]

He shit his pants?

[NeoteriX @ Aug 7th 2007 9:28AM]

An epileptic seizure is far from lethal.

[Fubar @ Aug 7th 2007 9:38AM]

Actually, there's a mortality rate of about 1% associated with typical seizures (usually choking or falls leading to concussions); status epilepticus has a mortality rate of >20% (more if it lasts >1h).

[upchuck @ Aug 8th 2007 6:57AM]

You get appointed Commander in Chief of the Supreme Court

[Jeremy K. @ Aug 7th 2007 9:17AM]

Is this anything like the gay bomb?

[Joshua @ Aug 7th 2007 9:19AM]

As someone that suffers from vertigo frequently, just reading the details made my stomach ache. Good for them and pushing non-lethal weapon development.

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 7th 2007 9:23AM]

Hey that was a GOOD movie!

[pstelman @ Aug 7th 2007 9:34AM]

What a wretched idea.

[NitroNeo @ Aug 7th 2007 9:47AM]

Flashing lights can cause seizures in epileptic folks.... does anyone else see this as potential deadly?

If nothing else it's cruel and inhumane...

[sola6loria @ Aug 7th 2007 12:05PM]

You're right. Rubber bullets and tasers are way better.

[lafin @ Aug 7th 2007 12:32PM]

Typically if the user is justified in deploying this 'flashlight' for it's intened purpose, then someone whom has a seizure should have probably considered what they were doing to put hemselves into this situation. It's not like they will be walking around aimlessly shining it at people. Frankly, if they deserve it, who cares?

[SneezyPorcupine @ Aug 10th 2007 2:13AM]

@ Iafin:

Heh. It's funny, cuz they said the same thing about tasers. And oh wat do u know? we got law inforcement officers tasing (is that a word?) young children with some even being killed as a result!

More importantly, as a person who has completed CQC training, u'd b surprised how often you hear of stories of people getting wrongfully accused and being subjected to unnecessary conduct by an officer who IS supposed to be held to a higher standard due to their responsibility of making decisions like this.

Sorry to go off topic, but I just don't see how two officers can justify the use of a taser on a 6 year old. Its hard to believe that two officers could not tame a child. And now we're going to put vomit inducing flash lights at their disposal as well...

[itonix @ Aug 7th 2007 9:50AM]

I imagine all bad guys will be wearing shades from now on

[Jeebus @ Aug 7th 2007 12:15PM]

Aren't they already?

[Master Zach @ Aug 20th 2007 4:58AM]

They'll just make sunglasses illegal, and anyone in law enforcement will be required to be issued licenses for their raybans from now on. That way, if you're wearing sunglasses without the required permits, you're obviously trying to not be apprehended, so you're guilty of something, opening yourself up to all sorts of search and seizure.

[kingotho @ Aug 7th 2007 10:31AM]

Finally, years of spending all our money on defense, and almost none on education has led to the golden age of excrement weapons!

[kingotho @ Aug 7th 2007 10:31AM]

I'm sure there's a darkened room somewhere where someone is busy working on the new boxing-gloves on springs in boxes.

[James @ Aug 7th 2007 3:56PM]

"...and almost none on education..."

So, $60B+ per year, at the federal level alone, is "almost none" now?

[kingotho @ Aug 7th 2007 5:49PM]

Sure, you or I could get smart for $60B, but when compared with the $500B+ spent on defense, you can see where our priorities are. Or you could think of it this way, $60B/how many kids in public school = decent vs. $500B/how many oil and warfare execs profit = indecent.

[upchuck @ Aug 8th 2007 6:52AM]

You get appointed Commander in Chief of the Supreme Court

[Christian @ Aug 7th 2007 12:16PM]

Wouldn't this kind of back fire when the guy you're chasing pukes all over you? Something tells me this is gonna be a lot worse for the people wielding these things.

[Dave @ Aug 7th 2007 12:24PM]

Blind ninjas will save us.

[John Wilkens @ Aug 7th 2007 2:10PM]

Who's gonna volunteer to test it..... It's not like everyone is gonna be like "HEY I VOLUNTEER!!! TRY IT OUT ON ME!!! IT"S BEEN WAY TO LONG SINCE I PUKED VIOLENTLY AND WENT INTO UNCONTROLLABLE SEIZURES!!!"

I volunteer that Brad Stone guy who outed Fake Steve Jobs, he deserves it.

[wblake0000 @ Aug 7th 2007 2:27PM]

What about mirrors? Wouldn't this weapon backfire? All those makeup mirrors women carry might finally have some use for us males.

[mikey k @ Aug 7th 2007 2:38PM]

I believe the weapon could work. It sounds like how I felt watching the Transformers movie sitting too close to the screen.

[Cal @ Aug 7th 2007 5:11PM]

What if the enemy is wearing mirrored sunglasses?

[John D @ Aug 7th 2007 5:29PM]

Well, if your subject looks away, it would always make a handy club.

[rudebo @ Aug 7th 2007 6:35PM]

could be fun for home security systems ... or peeking neighbours :P

[drtekger @ Aug 7th 2007 9:35PM]

I already had to puke while looking at this POS flashlight. Another job well done DARPA.

[Dave @ Aug 8th 2007 12:39AM]

It's nice to see how they continue to develop "non-lethal" weapons. What they really are is weapons of control. You can't kill everyone and have a working country--but if you want to get people in line, then just shoot some rubber bullets at them or gas them or put a puke-light in their face until they go away and get back to ranting on their useless blogs. Control. That's what this technology is about.