Video: reporter vs. the Air Force pain gun. Guess who wins.

It's funny, no matter how many times we see some poor, hapless reporter getting wave after wave of pain washed over them like a cool summer storm, it really never gets old. We'd argue that this 60 Minutes clip of correspondent David Martin taking on the Air Force's Active Denial System (aka the pain gun) is possibly the best we've seen yet, and not just because this guy actually has some cred to lose (unlike that time Amanda Congdon took a taser). Oh, and a parting note to enemy combatants: bring your mattress into combat. You'll have a comfy spot to nap on before the pain gun shows up and you use it as a shield. Video after the break.

[Yevon @ Mar 4th 2008 12:50AM]

One word: pwned.

[idiot @ Mar 4th 2008 1:44AM]

what a pud

[Chris @ Mar 4th 2008 12:54AM]

I love when he tried to count at the end. Dude, that thing must be painful.

[monkfishbandana @ Mar 4th 2008 12:21PM]

I agree. Out of my top 10 funniest moments ever, that is just below 'fat man falling off a chair'.

P.S. If you haven't seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVuFQWxM3Eg

[Robert @ Mar 4th 2008 12:56AM]

HMMMM How can I took this up to an Xbox 360?

[brian @ Mar 4th 2008 4:37PM]

I'm holding out for a usb powered one, just for office use. I imagine I'll get less people asking stupid questions!

[David @ Mar 4th 2008 1:00AM]

I think the Army or some manufacturer should bring this to a handheld device. That way, there will be no more tasers.

"Don't ray me bro!"

[asha @ Mar 4th 2008 1:19AM]

Actually, that could be pretty awesome. I bet you they already have someone working on it.

[David W. @ Mar 4th 2008 4:36AM]

haha funny you should say that, it's actually being produced, saw an article about it a while ago, looks like the phaser(sp.) rifles they used in star trek

[Carl M @ Mar 4th 2008 1:07AM]

Won't rioters just start using metal shields & tinfoil hats?

[Les @ Mar 4th 2008 1:13AM]

Metal, amplifies it. But tempurpedic may come into fashion

[Mark @ Mar 4th 2008 3:00AM]

A few overlapping layers of tin foil should help quit a bit. I don't know where you get that metal amplifies it. Think Faraday cage.

A metal shield held in front of you would probably do nothing or could possibly amplify it though.

[DarkLightConnection Unbanned @ Mar 4th 2008 4:20AM]

A metal shield infront of you would greatly reduce (if not cancel) it IF connected to ground... of course, it would need to be a really big shield (as in "covering the whole front of you")

[Jeffrey A. Katz @ Mar 4th 2008 3:35PM]

Only if they want to baste in their own juices and have their skin nice and crispy while being cooked by this awesome looking ray-gun. :)

[bigtank @ Mar 6th 2008 12:42AM]

Well this device uses microwave energy, (think aluminum foil in a microwave) yes, this would make the metal VERY hot and potentially mor harmful than the ray itself.

[frankXchange @ Mar 4th 2008 1:12AM]

This will prove invaluable when the time comes to put down the inevitable turkey revolt. How many minutes for medium-well done? Now they need to work on the gravy delivery system.

[CaptCaveman @ Mar 4th 2008 2:00AM]

I have to admit. For a second I thought you were talking about the country. Yeah, I'm an idiot.

[Chris Thompson @ Mar 4th 2008 7:19AM]

no no its cool...i was thinking...when did things start getting out of control there? am i really that out of it?

[The Dude @ Mar 4th 2008 1:18AM]

Why didn't 60 Minutes do us a favor and have Andy Rooney stand in front of it? You know the senile old guy who LOVES to bitch about everything.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PyHiySFtJsc

[Reader @ Mar 4th 2008 1:20AM]

Will rioters start wearing Michelin Man suits now?

[Marc @ Mar 4th 2008 1:21AM]

So, what is the actual process that's going on?

[jayger @ Mar 4th 2008 1:30AM]

Aired last Sunday on 60 Minutes. You can watch the full report @ http://cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3897986n

[Ray @ Mar 4th 2008 1:21AM]

"Here, hold my macaroni and cheese for me."

"But it's still frozen."

"Never mind that. Just hold it in front of you and stand still."

[tekdroid @ Mar 4th 2008 1:26AM]

...no doubt to be used first on populations protesting at the actions of their own governemnts.

"there will be no more dissent!"

[Jose El Maton @ Mar 4th 2008 2:42AM]

My thoughts exactly. "Enemy combatants," Ryan? These things will be fielded against Americans, on American soil. I ain't worrying about the fucking enemy combatants.

[notdeafyet @ Mar 4th 2008 1:31AM]

Why is the last 10 seconds of the video missing?

[Mike @ Mar 4th 2008 1:36AM]

The ADS was featured on The Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons" show last tear or the year before. That was a cooler display because the host actually stood there and took it for over a few seconds. If I recall correctly, they used a more powerful beam on him.

[john @ Mar 4th 2008 2:59AM]

Army? ppfftt. No, he's a real man. He was a Navy SEAL.

[BowserUSC @ Mar 4th 2008 5:47AM]

@John

Absolutely hilarious. Had me cracking up the second I read it.

[John @ Mar 4th 2008 1:44AM]

ONE ONE THOUSAND TWO ONE THOUSAND THREE WAAHHRHHHRHWHH!!!

oh man. that guy is a trooper.

[electroglyph @ Mar 4th 2008 2:05AM]

Stupidest project ever. This thing has no use at all. 2 megawatts of RF power are needed to affect a target out in the open at 500m. That beast is never going to be shrunk down to anything that can be carried by a person.

Sounds really intelligent to drive around a big hulking humvee loaded down with this equipment in a war zone with the sole purpose of causing pain for a few seconds (all it was designed for) against a target not shielded by a wall/dirt/bunker.

It's real purpose is probably domestic crowd control, but it will never be safe enough for domestic use. Would you trust a cop to use this against your children when it could cause burns, nerve damage, or who knows what else? The only winner here is the government contractor paid to make this junk. I'm disgusted.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Mar 4th 2008 2:09AM]

Never say never.

[spacegravity4me @ Mar 4th 2008 2:17AM]

"Never say never."

Until they start asking you if it was your falt.

[FordGTGuy @ Mar 4th 2008 2:21AM]

Actually this weapon would take over an hour of constant exposure to cause an injury and its so effective that the max amount of time you will be exposed is a couple of seconds. They showed this on Future Weapons a while ago so get with the program. This ray is only strong enough to microwave the water particles in the air around your body that makes you very uncomfortable nothing more.

[Josh @ Mar 4th 2008 3:27AM]

@FordGTGuy: It doesn't just "microwave the water particles around your body." Are you aware of how much water is in your body? It microwaves YOU.

[electroglyph @ Mar 4th 2008 3:17AM]

re: FordGTGuy
Actually it heats the water IN your body. And the particular wavelength was chosen because it targets a skin depth right next to your nerves. Michael Hanlon of the Daily Mail claims his finger was tingling for hours after he tested a smaller unit. Some would argue that tingling sensation was evidence of nerve damage.

[linuxamp @ Mar 4th 2008 3:19AM]

Remember how big, underpowered and uneconomical the first computers were? Now we have more powerful computers in our pockets powered by eraser sized batteries. It'll just take time...

[Mojo @ Mar 4th 2008 10:07AM]

You should see how much power I have in my pocket.
Whoooo!!


actually, not that much.

[Phil M @ Mar 4th 2008 2:18PM]

In Soviet Russia, Ray Gun microwaves YOU--
wait

You microwave RAY GUN...?

O_o

[Jacob @ Mar 4th 2008 2:33AM]

@FordGTGuy


So it ONLY boils the air around you, right?

[sirius @ Mar 4th 2008 2:37AM]

Another "fun" gadget for sadomasochists =D

[Taylor @ Mar 4th 2008 3:20PM]

Haha, damn, yeah, that would be mean!
Knives and whips are fine, but this just seems cruel!
-Taylor

[linuxamp @ Mar 4th 2008 3:23AM]

Price?? Availability?? C'mon Engadget don't keep us in the dark!

[Captain Crunkled @ Mar 4th 2008 4:18AM]

I heard the Bene Gesserit placed an order - easier to do wide scale human testing as opposed to using that outdated box concept.

Obscure Frank Herbert reference.. sorry

[Zhalfim Deyn @ Mar 4th 2008 11:40AM]

I...am...a...man!!!

yeah you are reporter guy...

[customjmn @ Mar 4th 2008 4:31PM]

Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death. I...must...not...fear

[erin @ Mar 7th 2008 9:02PM]

bene gesserit witches!

[trtko @ Mar 4th 2008 4:53AM]

anyone remembers the way the party in 1984 controlled people? I thought 1984 was a fiction, it seems more like a plan now.

[Abba Shaib @ Mar 4th 2008 5:11AM]

Hm... wonder how long Steve-O will last in front of this thing

[Bad Beaver @ Mar 4th 2008 5:13AM]

Just wait till she gets a hold of that ray gun Ryan *g*