Raytheon sells its first 'pain ray,' and the less lethal arms race begins
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted August 6th 2009 11:14AM
posted August 6th 2009 11:14AM
As you are no doubt aware, one of the perks of being in the corporate security field is that you get to try out things that would come across as, well, unseemly if put in the hands of the government. While there's been some controversy over the possible use of Raytheon's 10,000 pound "portable" Silent Guardian by the military, it appears that at least one private customer has no such qualms. We're not sure exactly who placed the order -- news of an "Impending Direct Commercial Sale" was just one bullet point of many at Raytheon's recent presentation at a NATO workshop on anti-pirate technologies. The company itself is being mum on the subject, saying that it would be "premature" to name names at the present time, but rest assured -- this is only the beginning. As soon as these things are small enough to fit in your briefcase or glove compartment, every nut in your neighborhood will want one. In the mean time, looks like you're stuck with the Taser. [Warning: PDF read link]
[Via Wired]
[Via Wired]
I'm hoping the Japanese whalers ordered this to use against the Sea Shepards (aka pirates).
I think its called a "local warming" machine.
Wow, that came outa nowhere.
I hope the environmental organizations get this to use against the Japanese whalers
Whaling in this day in age is purely for pleasure of eating whale. There for...We should use this on the Whalers.
@Greg Thomas +1
I'm completely on the whales side, and agree with what the Sea Shepherds are trying to accomplish. That being said, they are such complete and utter morons that every time I watch that show, I hope they sink their own ship. It's bound to happen with the outrageously high levels of incompetence on that crew...
That show is so stupid, the Japanese's my the Sea Shepards crew look like morons... Although whaling is a problem. Don't make Captain Kirk come back from the future. I am going to rampage if I see another priceline commercial.
"make" not my... sorry
You know I hope the whales bought this to use against the whalers and the sea shepherds.
What is this, a wide area Cruciatus machine? Gee.
These things are no joke. I used to do A/V at trade shows and they had this thing on display for one I was working on. They let you test the pain by applying the ray in a small amount to the tip of your finger. One of the army guys actually bet us to test it. It ran for about half a second but it was maybe the most pain I've ever felt and it only happened in the tip of my index finger. It makes you feel like your disintegrating from the inside of your skin
Awesome, more ways for police brutalize you.
wow....that's just not funny.
How many of us are going to get electrocuted and tortured by a "police officer" without a trial, jury or legal defense? You have to be a sadistic bastard to want wear a badge in this country. It's sad what the promise of this country has been exploited to when people feel they have to turn to criminals to protect them from the police.
This is being sold to the army (and possibly navy), not to state or county governments. This thing is 10,000 lbs so it is not like the police are going to have this in their car, and to use it in a police station would constitute torture. Hell, I doubt any state, much less a county, can afford such a presumably expensive device.
I am all for checks and balances, especially when it comes to state governments, but your fantasies about being abused by the police should at least be realistic.
Realistic? How many videos on you tube show police officers tasing people with without the cops being in personal danger? How about the famous "don't tase me, man" guy"? How about the elderly woman getting tased in the street for a standard traffic stop? How about the number of people that died in consequense of getting tased? These guys don't lose their jobs, let alone get arrested like any one of us would.
Stick your head in the sand this way none of this actually happened.
I never said there that police have not used excessive force/abused citizens, or that I approve the use of tasers. What I responded to was the comment about using the above device by the police, and how unrealistic that is. The above device is not a taser, it is a very expensive defense weapon, one that weight 10,000 lbs (more than 5 times the weight of a cop car). I therefore found it unrealistic that police would use such a device. I know this post is redundant, however I feel that since you missed such an obvious point, I would repeat it to you in simple terms.
Along with your fear of the police: I am going to argue that the majority of police officers are not sadistic people, but rather those interested in protecting citizens. The problem comes with how they are managed, and how police departments make money (the answers is not through solving "real crimes") . Instead of attacking middle class workers, you may want to consider voting for people running within your county, and voicing your opinion in more appropriate manners. If you do not like the people running, maybe you should consider running yourself and taking a bigger role in your community.
Like engadget said..."when these get small enough to fit in a briefcase". By then they would be much cheaper as well. Right now they have tasers, tomorrow there will be some other device. Also, I never attacked middle class workers, no need to be antagonistic. The majority of cops are good people, but these are the same good people that turn a blind eye when their fellow officers are abusing citizens. Lets call a spade, a spade.
No doubt that the private concern was a shipping vessel that frequents the areas around Africa/Middle East. I say burn the living fuck out of the pirates in international waters where nobody can hear you scream.
So this is what's in room 101!
Also, if you wear contacts, it will burn them into your eyeballs. The future's so awesome.
Cheaper laser eye surgery anyone?
I wonder if this gets defeated by rain or portable aqua mist?
Just our luck it'd act like a prism and spread it into a spectrum of pain!
But whalers are evil...So the ones who FIGHT the whalers should have it. Infact I always wanted to BLOW up whaling ships.
Obviously they'll be installing it at the ticket booths at Disneyland Florida! Duh!
Disneyland FLORIDA?! I think you got your Disney amusement parks and coasts mixed up.
Disney World?!
I wonder if mirrors can reflect it's waves back...?
um, no
Um, it's electromagnetic. Surely something can redirect it.
It doesn't use light, mirrors don't work that way.
However, it's still projecting waves.
Will my tin foil hat protect against the effects?
Those Sea Shepards are morons. If I was going to attack Whaling ships their ships would no longer exist. I maybe killed eventually but I will be sure those SHIPS will not be murdering whales anymore.
When will people around the world WAKE UP! Not everything has to be a resource on this planet. Can't we leave certain species and areas of earth alone? People with great amount of greed are scum and do not deserve life. They think they can exploit people and use them and we let them RUN OUR LIVES? Why do we not stand up for ourselves? Whaling is an evil act.
Crucio!
You need to really mean it.
But with this, you just have to plug it in.
I've seen this demonstrated on TV, and I think it's an interesting concept. Unfortunately there is no visual element to it's operation so it could all be fake for all I know. I'd like to witness one in person (even if it means getting 'shot' with it), just to see how effective it is.
If this machine emits waves specifically tuned to stimulate pain in nerves, then could one tune it to stimulate pleasure?
Thus, can this be a machine to touch you inappropriately from half a mile away?
Brilliant!!
That would be an even better app. Money should have been spent on such an idea. Think about it.
Install such a device in malls or at concerts. Set pleasure beam to wide and very mild. People will associate sexual pleasure with location and keep coming back to buy more goodies / listen to more concerts.
You can use them to encourage kids to go to school.
"I don't know what it is, but I get so turned on when I go to math class."
There will be abuses too...
Ha I meant resonance, and the water droplets absorbing the pain =p
How well does it stand up to RPGs?
Or rifle fire?
Hard to aim while cringing on the floor, and the casing can be 30 inch steel or concrete if they wish obviously, so yeah good luck with that rifle.
turns out it was ordered by a guy from Redmond, to be fitted to an SUV and delivered to somewhere near mountain view; I think his name was Steve Ball or similar.
Something other than a mirror then, a waveguide perhaps? It is propagating something close to microwaves after all...
Want to bet it was the CIA that bought one for easy mass torture in secret prisons?
For what it's worth, I chuckled. +1
Your personal room 101 maybe; the Room is custom-fited to each individual that passes through it in order to generate the maximum psychological pressure possible. If your greatest fear in the world is truly simple pain, then yes, this is what will be in Room 101 when you get there...