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From: barth@ihlpl.ATT.COM (BARTH RICHARDS)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Future Police Speculations Needed
Message-ID: <3173@ihlpl.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 13-Nov-87 16:00:42 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpl.3173
Posted: Fri Nov 13 16:00:42 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Nov-87 18:20:31 EST
References: <1463@haddock.ISC.COM> <1824@trex.rutgers.edu> <23473AE4@PSUVMA> <21598@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: barth@ihlpl.UUCP (BARTH RICHARDS)
Followup-To: alt.cyberpunk,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Distribution: alt.cyberpunk,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 36
Xref: mnetor alt.cyberpunk:184 rec.arts.sf-lovers:9047


In article <21598@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> max@trinity (Max Hauser) writes:

>In article <23473AE4@PSUVMA> AE4@PSUVMA.BITNET (Jon Acheson) writes:
>> ... Anti-terrorist techniques would also improve: in a hostage situation,
>>fast-acting anesthetic gas would be shot into the room: before the thug can
>>do anything, they are waking up in jail.
>
>Fast-acting anesthetics have been a staple soft weapon in science 
>fiction at least since _Brave New World_ but despite massive
>research they seem no more practical today than fifty years ago.
>
>The good low-toxicity gases like ether and cyclopropane are
>typically explosive in mixture with air and they require dosage
>control, another big stumbling block. Nevertheless they are an
>irresistable idea.

I would guess that research would be more along the lines of advanced forms
of tasers or even ultra-low-frequency sound.  Tasers may be developed that
don't require a physical projectile, but use some form of EM waves
(microwaves, perhaps?).  ULFS has already been mucked about with to a very
limited degree, and there are indications that, at certian frequencies and
levels of amplifiation, it can cause severe disruption of bodily functions,
possibly even death.  I suppose it would be possible to find one or more
frequency/amplifiction combinations that would cause instantaneous, but
temporary, incapacitation.


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  88                                                 Barth Richards        88
  88     Have you driven a fnord lately?             AT&T Bell Labs        88
  88                                                 Naperville, IL        88
  88                                                 !ihnp4!ihlpl!barth    88
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