Re: Is this for real?

Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
01 Jul 1998 18:08:52 +0200

den Otter <neosapient@geocities.com> writes:

> "Low Liability Property Protection Systems
> Phasor Pain And Shock Field
>
> Creates A Protective Shield Of High Pressure Complex Ultrasonic Shock
> Waves.

Doesn't sound entirely convincing (why no data?), but it is all a question of the number of watts of course - enough energy will likely do damage at least. The effects claimed sounds like the claims for low frequency sound waves, but as far as I know the effects are not very reliable and people react differently to them. If you are going to produce pain with the ultrasound, you will likely need to use such intensities that they can do real damage (opening yourself to being prosecuted yourself).

> Would it be advisable to buy these devices (they have other fun stuff
> too), or is this bogus technology?

Some seems quite reasonable, but I don't think one should rely on high-tech obscure systems too much (beside the appeal to us technophiles, of course! :-). In order to deter theives, psychology and a bit of common sense may be more efficient (see David D. Friedman's analysis of the rationality of theft at http://www.best.com/~ddfr/Academic/Hidden_Order/Hidden_Order_Chapter_20.html, contains many useful ideas).

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Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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