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Acoustic Weapons

Acoustic weapons, also known as sound cannons, are devices that emit loud and painful sounds over long distances for crowd control purposes. They were first developed in the 1990s and can cause harm like hearing loss and pain. There are questions around their safety and appropriate use due to a lack of research on health effects and risks of abuse. Concerns include the potential for indiscriminate and permanent injury to protesters and bystanders. More evidence is needed on health impacts before these weapons should be used for crowd control.

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230 views1 page

Acoustic Weapons

Acoustic weapons, also known as sound cannons, are devices that emit loud and painful sounds over long distances for crowd control purposes. They were first developed in the 1990s and can cause harm like hearing loss and pain. There are questions around their safety and appropriate use due to a lack of research on health effects and risks of abuse. Concerns include the potential for indiscriminate and permanent injury to protesters and bystanders. More evidence is needed on health impacts before these weapons should be used for crowd control.

Uploaded by

Huy Ngo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ACOUSTIC WEAPONS

Acoustic weapons, also known as long-range acoustic devices and sound cannons, are devices that
deliver very loud sounds over long distances. This technology is used for crowd-control purposes by
emitting loud and painful levels of noise that may lead to significant harm to the ears, potentially causing
hearing loss. Serious questions remain about the safety and efficacy of acoustic weapons in
crowd-control contexts.

HISTORY HOW THEY WORK


Sound amplifiers have been used for centuries, but this technology was Acoustic weapons function by emitting loud, painful and
weaponized for crowd-control purposes in the early 1990s. Specialty devices even dangerous levels of noise. They use hundreds of
that are able to project loud sounds over very long ranges were first used by modern transducers to create highly concentrated and
the U.S. military in Iraq in 2004. Since the 1990s, the U.S. military and private amplified sound. This fairly narrow beam can focus on
companies have also researched infrasonic devices that could have effects at specific targeted areas.
very low frequencies that might not be heard by the human ear.

THE LRAD (LONG RANGE “THE MOSQUITO” INFRASONIC WEAPON


DEVICE TYPES
ACOUSTIC DEVICE) BRAND A high-pitched sound weapon that This newer technology is under
Has a range of 8,900 meters for is audible and painful to younger investigation. It would deliver very
intelligible speech and a maximum people, while leaving older people low frequency sounds that would be
output of 162 decibels at one (30s and older) unaffected. inaudible but could cause pain and
meter. It can cause pain (110- disorientation.
130dB) at 20 meters.

HEALTH EFFECTS

There is little medical literature on the effects of


acoustic weapons on people. There are reports
of hearing loss and prolonged ear pain or
ringing, but adequate data is not yet available to
develop consensus. However, the weapons can be
indiscriminate, causing harm or pain to protesters,
bystanders and even police officers themselves.

ABUSE OR LACK OF OPERATOR KNOWLEDGE


VARIABLES THAT CAN The sound is designed to be controlled by police officers who can alter the frequency,
EXACERBATE INJURIES level, quality and duration of the alarm. Abuse or lack of operator knowledge about the
health effects can exacerbate injury.

CONSIDERATIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THERE ARE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE HIGH POTENTIAL OF ACOUSTIC


WEAPONS TO CAUSE SERIOUS AND PERMANENT INJURY.

Proper research and evidence about The use of acoustic weapons in protests
acoustic weapons’ health effects is still should be suspended, at least until such
lacking, despite their increased use in concerns are addressed.
recent years.

For more information, see Physicians for Human Rights and INCLO, “Lethal in Disguise: The Health
Consequences of Crowd-Control Weapons.” (March, 2016).

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