Websites everywhere are voicing issues over a new electronic gun designed by Kazutaka Kurihara of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Koji Tsukada of Ochanomizu University in Japan. The SpeechJammer records the speech of targeted individuals and blasts their own voice back at them with a .2 second delay. This results in confusing the speaker, making them stutter and eventually quit talking. Currently, the device is simply designed as an experimental unit, as part of a research paper. The potential for use by the military or government to quell free speech disturbs many of its detractors, although its inventors suggest more benign uses, including silencing noisy speakers in public libraries or hushing people in group discussions who keep interrupting out of turn.
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The researchers point out the device is more effective against those reading aloud than speaking spontaneously, and it’s ineffective at stopping people from making random noises or meaningless sounds (such as “aaaahhhhh”) spread out over a long period of time.
With this gun’s effectiveness depending on a speaker thinking about what he or she is saying while talking, most Americans may be immune. I can’t help but think it would be a big hit with parents of small kids.
“Are we there yet? Are we ….”
Ah, silence!
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