Inflationary pressure on shacks in Montana
Written by: Beck
Frankly, I think
this latest invention will be quite helpful to police and the military. It'll likely save quite a few lives. Nonetheless, I can't help but twitch anytime the state acquires new powerful weapons with which to control the unruly masses.
A hi-tech device that can bring speeding cars to a halt at the flick of a switch is set to become the latest weapon in the fight against crime.
Police forces in Britain and the US have ordered tests of the new system that delivers a blast of radio waves powerful enough to knock out vital engine electronics, making the targeted vehicle stall and slowly come to a stop...
Tomorrow, at the Euroem 2004 science conference in Germany, Dr Giri will describe recent trials of the device. The tests proved that the system could stop vehicles from up to 50 metres away.
The bulk of the device is designed to fit in a car boot and consists of a battery and a bank of capacitors that can store an electrical charge. Flicking a switch on the dashboard sends a burst of electricity into an antenna mounted on the roof of the car. The antenna then produces a narrow beam of intense radio waves that is directed at the vehicle ahead.
When the radio waves hit the targeted car, they induce surges of electricity in its electronics, upsetting the fuel injection and engine firing signals. "It works on most cars built in the past 10 years, because their engines are controlled by computer chips," said Dr Giri. "If we can disrupt the computer, we can stop the car." A prototype is due to be ready by next summer.
I can't help but wonder what sorts of other things get destroyed in the process (digital watches anyone?). Furthermore, how much does it cost to repair a car that's been stopped using this method? Regardless, expect for this nifty little gadget to be just another mundane part of life inside the next decade or so.
