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New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future

extremetech.com

11–20 of 32 posts

Re: New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future

#12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't cancel your speech - it plays it back to you with a slight delay. You hear what you said an instant ago. Turn on the TV. Try repeating what someone talking continuously says right after they say it. That's what happens; it jams you mentally. Granted simultaneous translators at the UN do it with a twist, so it's possible.

No, I mean, if you wore earplugs to defend yourself from the jammer -- you can't tell how loud you're talking, and controlling pitch/tone can be hard, too. (AFAIK, this is why deaf people find it hard to speak.)

I don't think headphones keep you from hearing yourself - the vibrations travel through your jaw from your voice box to your inner ear. Sort of how your voice sounds a bit different when you're wearing high quality noise-cancelling headphones.

Re: New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future

#14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I mean, if you wore earplugs to defend yourself from the jammer -- you can't tell how loud you're talking, and controlling pitch/tone can be hard, too. (AFAIK, this is why deaf people find it hard to speak.)

I don't think headphones keep you from hearing yourself - the vibrations travel through your jaw from your voice box to your inner ear. Sort of how your voice sounds a bit different when you're wearing high quality noise-cancelling headphones.

Yea, it might be possible with practice.

I guess public speakers could also have their speech pumped directly back into an earbud (like live music singers).

Re: New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future

#19
In short, imagine if a runaway mega-corporation or government gains control of these earbuds. Not only could the intelligence-destroying blasts from Harrison Bergeron come to pass, but with Delayed Auditory Feedback it would be possible to render the entire population mute.

Is it just me who thought; well if a runaway mega-corporation does come to exist, in a position to force society to wear such earbuds (or whatever)... I doubt the existence, or not, of "speech-jamming guns" will affect matters.

They haven't even thought through the sensationalism!

Re: New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future

#20
This is actually useful tech - I've been in many situations where other people talk louder and longer than me (I have a quiet voice and don't interrupt others when they say something - I'm always perplexed when others do it) and instead of escalating and turning a debate into a shouting contest, one could use these devices (though I don't see that actually happening since it would make a lot of people angry).

As for free speech - it's not really a danger - if you're having a protest, the last thing you wanna do is shut people up - they're going to start destroying your equipment and it will quickly turn into a full-fledged riot...

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