Gizmodo
Inferno is a "sonic barrier," a long metallic speakerbar that generates a sound made of four frequencies between 2 and 5 kilohertz. The sound itself is 125dB, which is the typical sound made by an alarm, but according to Danger Room's Sharon Weinberger, it's "the most unbearable, gut-wrenching noise I've ever heard in my life." It was a very quick exposure but Sharon says that it was a lot worse than the Pentagon pain ray. We talked with Dr. Maurice Goldman, managing director for the company in the US, about the uses and cost of these devices.
"Being a guinea pig for a sonic ray was truly a whole lot worse than being a guinea pig for the pain ray. I would happily volunteer again to be hit by the Pentagon's pain ray. It was fun, like being Bugs Bunny dancing around when Elmer Fudd tries to shoot him. I never, ever again want to be hit by the Inferno" says Sharon, but while the sensation was unbearable, she actually didn't experiment the extreme reactions that this sound will cause if you are exposed to it for a longer time: vertigo, nausea, and pain in the chest.
The device is designed to work with security systems, making people leave a protected area immediately. Their site shows many different models, which can be installed inside or outside shops and cargo vans. Dr. Goldman told us that they "don't do home applications because of the potential headaches that this may bring from law enforcement agencies and customers." Apparently, "only homes that have special requirements, like a strong room" can be elegible to install one of these alarms. Too bad, because he pointed out that the cost of a typical system is only $1,800, which is affordable enough for me to want one.
If you are wondering if this is really a good deterrent against thieves, have no doubts about it. Apparently, Inferno is so effective that Swedish manufacturer Indusec just landed a contract with the Russian government to install the sound bars in nuclear weapon depots using the Inferno Mini (above) which is the same you can install in your own shop. Meanwhile, big companies like UK-based chemist super-chain Boots, are also installing the devices all through all their shops.
The good thing about Inferno is that, although it will stop anyone from entering an area, they won't injure them (or you.) According to a study on the Inferno by the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, only if you experiment repeated exposures to this kind of noise or if the sound pressure is more than 130dB, your ears could be damaged. Inferno, the paper concludes, doesn't have any risk of hearing loss since it's just 125dB.
Just in case, I won't try it. [Danger Room and Inferno]
Comments
can they make a portable version.
All it plays is David Hasslehoff live 24/7.
@citizen024: He's holding it in the picture.
I saw one of these work once, and it's a pretty sound idea. The one they had was just bad enough that you couldn't take you hands off of your ears in the same room w/o being in pain, and I think they tried ear muffs, but you couldn't get/stay within one foot of the safe w/ the speaker on it.
Hahaha! Spoken like a true wizard Tehronin.
@Git Em SteveDave: i mean more portable, like those silly little personal alarms that fit on a key chain.
@Git Em SteveDave: Then just cut the power before breaking in and entering.
I believe the early versions of this device were actuated by a pull of the finger.
@tehronin: I was told it only played Nickelback.
@kOtic: No doubt they have a very extensive battery backup - mine security systems does - and it lasts for ~ 18 hours as well.
@CITIZEN024: see previous comment.
Might a set of earplugs reduce the discomfort enough so that you could finish your stealing? Maybe a set of earplugs used in conjunction w/ those big ear-covering sound blocking head-phones-resembling things that i've seen people wearing whilst mowing yard.
Didn't Mythbusters bust the myth of this so-called "Brown Noise?" Or is this something different?
@tehronin: What do you do if a German breaks in?
@citizen024: Well, wouldn't that make you sick as well? Also you have the chance of it being used against you.
@tehronin: Is it legal to use it ON the Hoff? You know, for amusement?
@fuzzycuffs: Mythbusters did low freuenqy making you lose control of your bowels. This one sounds like it messes w/your inner ear, probably setting up a sympathetic resonance wave in there, leading to the vertigo, dizziness, but the pain in the chest makes me wonder. Might be stomach related, or your body trying to go into fetal position, and you are fighting it?
Obviously none of you have heard my wife after I've once again managed to piss her off.
Tone deaf intruders beware! Oh... wait... huh?
@m4ximusprim3: A simple cheeseburger is much more cost-effective.
@matto:
I was going to say the same thing....someone just managed to record the sound....
@m4ximusprim3: Yeah, it might make him drop to the floor, have trouble with food, and slur his speech.... Oh wait, he does that already.
@Git Em SteveDave: Directional speaker? As for it being used against victims, hasn't the same argument been used for taser guns and pepper spray.
Bit large for a sick stick.
@matto:
no, i can hear her banging my neighbor through the wall quite clearly!
Why not just play Celine Dion through regular speakers. It does the same thing.
Will it still work to protect valuables when the same intruder smashes it with a crowbar/bat/other blunt object? Is it bulletproof?
@JacquesAss: Hahaha
Linkin Park?
"Kilohertz" ... not "Kilohertzs"
I wonder what it sounds like... C on C# played on violins? lol.
They should make a 12v version for car audio installs.
Bose?
@DashTheHand: From what I have seen of things like this in action, you can't take your hands away from your ears long enough to get a swing going. And I'm sure if they have it on batteries to prevent power loss, they will have it behind a steel grate. Of course, it's always the simple things that screw people up. Like getting a safe, and not bolting it to the floor.
I always found that Phish would make me wretch. And going to a Hippy school (as I did) I'd get people saying "give it a listen, man" or even try to trick me by just having on in the background. But my ears know - Phish sucks and they're not havin' any of it.
Maybe this noisebar imitates Trey?
"We've secretly replaced Brian Lam's center channel speaker with the Inferno PukeTron 7000. Let's see what happens!"
I imagine Jim Carey's annoying voice from Dumb and Dumber...
i would put that thing micro scaled on a cellphone and leave it waiting to be stolen in my pocket.
and as soon as the thief push any button trying to make a call, the party begins!
ha!
would be like in the family guy episode when they puke all around
Good thing the average thief doesn't carry around noise-canceling headphones.
and when he's done, he can use it to shave his entire back in a single pass.
@impliedsurprise: The first blade lifts the hair, the second....
but can it make the brown noise?
What if the robber is deaf? Does it have an ASL mode?
forget gun laws now we need speaker laws FFS don't kilohertzs me bro
earplugs.
Good,
Let's install one in congress and connect it to a bullshit or pork barrel project alarm.
It would be going off every 15 minutes....
@med:
"Kilohertz" ... not "Kilohertzs"
In this case... K I L O H U R T S.
WTB Giant orange head phones the guys at airports use. Problem solved. Granted everyone else will be staring at you while they run away, and it'll be obvious you're up to no good.
@youngfiles: Earplugs generally can't filter sounds in this frequency range.
Old news guys...
I think I saw this in "Stand By Me", during the total and utter barf-o-rama scene... Yeah, and you thought it was Lardass who started it.
it reminds of star trek episodes when the crew is attacked by a horrible sound, they all cover their ears and double up in pain...i imagine security cam videos will look this way.
If I use the Bose noise cancelling headphones, would I get the opposite, erotic, tingling effect?
This would make the world's funniest office prank ever!