Scientists Create Gun That Physically Stops You From Talking

[rapidoud]

According to the team who put this 1984 2012 wonder together...

I see what you did there.

OT: I'm not even sure I understand how this works... so it just echoes the voice of the speaker? Does that stop them speaking simply because they can't comprehend their own words then? That would mean the actual stopping part would be entirely voluntary on the speaker's part.

Still quicker to just shoot them.

[sub][sub](I don't support the act of shooting people.)[/sub][/sub]

I've seen something similar done in person a decade ago, except they had headphones and it played back the voice I think 600ms later. The idea is that the person becomes fixated on the speech being played back rather than their own. Out of a dozen people that used it not a single one could speak a normal sentence coherently.

Although being a musician I'm used to people playing/speaking out of time .

 

[dessertmonkeyjk]

So it's simply the equivalent of turning on Playback on your headset microphone so you'll hear what it hears a second afterward... what?

So what stops them from using earplugs?

 

[rapidoud]

So it's simply the equivalent of turning on Playback on your headset microphone so you'll hear what it hears a second afterward... what?

So what stops them from using earplugs?

The fact that they won't know you'll be using this in advance. That's about it really.

A directional 'playback' that will annoy you, and it won't be a continous feedback (i.e. it won't always be 200ms, it will vary as you move, if you try to avoid it it will be far harder to concentrate than 'morning announcements at school' in a hall once a week).

 

[aashell13]

They actually made a gun that can kill freedom of speech. I see no way this can be missused in the wrong hands. Nope, nothing comes to mind, not a single thing.

oh, they've had those, this one's just quieter and makes less of a bloody mess...

And since the previous incarnations are regulated closely, this one ought to be too.

 

[hexFrank202]

I may not be the first to point this out, but this device will be available to buy at BDSM sites within five years.

 

[gyroscopeboy]

Im pretty sure a regular gun stops you from talking too.

 

[217not237]

Japan: allowing silent protest since 2012.

 

[pwnzerstick]

I instantly though of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEL3c6N3DO8
Cool toy though

 

[samsonguy920]

I grow just as tired of any ignorant loudmouth as the next guy, but in the end I am of the camp that sees more potential for abuse than for any benefit.

Cool expierment. As someone that's accidentally been on the receiving end of this effect (we were testing a streaming set up, but you ended up hearing yourself on a delay) it's incredibly jarring and very hard to keep a train of though going.

Though a few of the doom and gloomers here are failing to account for the fact that you need to be able to hear this device.

And then we segue to:

Couldn't you just wear a set of earplugs?

Or... fuck it, just shove your fingers in your ears xD.

Amazing how mundane devices can defeat thousands or even millions of dollars worth of research and work. I wouldn't be surprised if we see sub-standard versions like these being sold on QVC after the government grows frustrated with it.
The side benefit is the potential for public speakers who are giving an awesome motivational speech, but instead look like: "Lah lah lah, I can't hear you!"

I have a gun that can do that. Its called a shotgun

A normal gun can stop you from physically talking too.

Or, you could just point a regular gun at them, get the same result, if they aren't stupid.

Any of them think "why not just point a bullet-shooting gun at someone and tell them to shut up?"

Im pretty sure a regular gun stops you from talking too.

*golf clap*
Nice to see we have a brain trust going on in the exact opposite direction here. You guys should take some time and think about the consequences of using such violence on someone who is just overusing their yap.
See you after 25 years to life.

 

[Zen Toombs]

Japan: allowing silent protest since 2012.

This is.... wonderful.

Toombs aproves +6

For science.
You monster!

[portal reference]

that wasnt funny then and it aint now.

so
it has come to this.

 

[Sporky111]

I knew it was customary in Japan to avoid open confrontation, but I didn't expect them to start enforcing it.

 

[Thomas Lyons]

You guys do realize that this probably wouldn't work on everyone. For example, trained broadcast professionals like Rush Limbaugh have been trained over the years to be able to listen to themselves as they speak. When you call in to a radio show, they tell you to turn down your radio because most people who call do not have the ability to listen to themselves on the radio as they speak on the phone. I tried it once with my computer microphone and it definitely worked on me. Sorry to rain on the parade of you libs, but talk radio hosts would most likely be immune to this...

 

[Valanthe]

OT: I'm not even sure I understand how this works... so it just echoes the voice of the speaker? Does that stop them speaking simply because they can't comprehend their own words then? That would mean the actual stopping part would be entirely voluntary on the speaker's part.

You can experience the exact thing this device replicates on any VOIP program, like Ventrillo or Teamspeak. If the person you are speaking to has voice activation on, and their outbound coming through standard speakers, as opposed to a headset, when you speak to them, your voice will activate their mic and send your voice back to you on a slight delay. As someone who uses these programs for a lot of things, I can assure you that it is nearly -impossible- to speak over yourself like that, you end up tripping over your own words and are rendered unable to complete even simple sentences.

 

[Tropico1]

This just sounds like the effect you get when some dumbass on your voice chat in a game isn't wearing a headset and you hear yourself speaking with a short delay everytime you say something.

If it is in fact just that, I can testify that while annoying, it's pretty easy to overcome after a while if you put your mind to it.

Then again, the way the quote is talking about it makes it sound like they just want to use it in very short bursts in specific instances, where the shock of experiencing the effect by surprise would be what shuts people up more than anything else, in which case it would work fine.

But it's not by any means a "make you quiet and keep you quiet" thing, but more of a "startle you out of what you're currently saying" thing.

 

[Tropico1]

I can assure you that it is nearly -impossible- to speak over yourself like that, you end up tripping over your own words and are rendered unable to complete even simple sentences.

Oh come on, seriously? This is a gaming website. You are not a gamer if 1) you haven't had this experience of "guy on voice not wearing a headset" about 100 times and 2) rolled your eyes the 50th time it happens and just learn to speak over it and get on with the game.

Are you seriously telling me that if a single person in your TS group or whatever doesn't or can't wear a headset/earpones then that's it? Everybody plays in complete silence from then on? Come on.

 

[Samurai Silhouette]

Snip

Oh look, someone without a sense of humor. Hey guys, we made a joke about guns! We must really shoot people!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadpan

Also, if you want something that doesn't cost millions, you can just, you know, interrupt the person? Because spending stupid amounts of money to force etiquette in a normal conversation is really important.

 

[dashiz94]

They actually made a gun that can kill freedom of speech. I see no way this can be missused in the wrong hands. Nope, nothing comes to mind, not a single thing.

Relax mate, I highly doubt this thing is going to become immensely public, and if a couple university kids have created this, then assuredly the "big, evil government" has known about it and clearly hasn't used it yet.

That, and you can't point a gun at the internet and shut the trolls up.

 

[Sovereignty]

Finally a way to make public debates fair. You want to speak out of turn!? ZAP! You want to try and talk over your opponent? BAM! You want to roll your eyes and grin to try and nullify the points they're making to the audience? Too bad.

 

[MrGalactus]

It's like the passive aggressive version of the Hitchhikers POV gun.

Im pretty sure a regular gun stops you from talking too.

This is actually a good point. Regular gun works long-term, too.
Your move, science.

 

[Guardian of Nekops]

If it relies on a mental glitch then chances are that at some point people are going to be able to overcome it and render this thing even more useless.

I have the solution!

Stick your fingers in your ears. That way, you can't hear the feedback and you can be as obnoxious as you like.

Still, if you do that you'll clearly look even more childish than you apparently already do, and you'll be leaving your tummy uncovered so they can knock the wind out of you and shut you up that way.

Still, sounds like an interesting device. Be about as fun to play with as a laser pointer... I can see them showing up in classrooms if they get small and cheap enough. Poor teachers.