Friday Funny: The "Shut Up" Gun

Ever wanted to silence aggressive cell phone talkers or that intractable opponent speaking out against your brilliant redevelopment plan? Well researchers in Japan have developed just the product for you, reports Mark Hachman.

March 9, 2012, 2pm PST | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

According to Hachman, Kazutaka Kurihara of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and Koji Tsukada of Ochanomizu University in Japan, "have developed 'SpeechJammer,' a prototype 'gun' designed to compel people to stop talking, without physically harming them."

The "shut up gun" is actually a directional speaker based on, "delayed auditory feedback (DAF), essentially turning people's own voices against them in disconcerting fashion...The SpeechJammer is predicated upon the principle that the humans are disconcerted by DAF, which 'jams' speech when our own voices are played back to us, and slightly delayed. The effect is well-documented, the researchers said, and is related to stuttering."

We're expecting the gun to become this December's hot holiday gift for planning board members across the country, so you may want to place your order now.

Full Story:

Japanese Develop 'Shut Up, Now' Gun

Published on Thursday, March 1, 2012 in PCMag.com