Multiple adversary suppression system (MASS)

Abstract

The Multiple Adversary Suppression System (MASS) is an integrated, digitally controlled nonlethal weapon system designed to disable unshielded humans and interfere with susceptible materiel. MASS emits photic and audio stimulation at intensities designed to cause distress. MASS shields its users from direct photic and analog audio stimulation, instead processing that data digitally and filtering out the disruptive stimuli MASS emits. The physical components of MASS consist of a computer controlled headset with digital visual and audio processing equipment, and a computer controlled emission rig with high intensity photic and audio emission equipment.

Claims

1. A method for projecting high-intensity light stimulation and high-volume, high-frequency audio stimulation that is configured to temporarily blind, deafen, disorient and disable a target person or persons while protecting a user or users of this method from analog light and analog audio stimulation, comprising: a) using high-intensity light sources flashing at predetermined times, and b) using opaque goggles or visors configured to protect said method's users from all analog light data, and c) using cameras sampling environmental visual data at predetermined times and digitally recreating and displaying said data upon the goggles or visor for the user, and d) using audio speakers projecting high-volume, high-frequency audio stimulation, and e) using headphones to suppress a substantial portion of the analog audio data reaching the user, and f) using microphones to electronically sample and enhance analog audio data and provide communications to the user, whereby intense light and audio stimulations are configured to render the targeted person incapable of resisting an attack by the user of the method and incapable of mounting an attack against said user and said user is shielded from all analog light stimulation and substantial analog audio stimulation while receiving digitally selected and recreated visual and audio information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagram of the basic components of the invention.

(2) The Projector components consist of a high-frequency, high-volume audio projector (Screamer (1)) and a high-intensity light projector (Dazzler (2)). The Shield components consist of headgear incorporating sound-suppressing headphones (Insulators (3)), light-blocking goggles or visor (Shades (4)), audio receiver (5), and camera (6). User(s) activate the Projectors delivering electronically regulated bursts (pulses) of high-frequency, high-volume audio and high-intensity light (7) against Target individuals or groups. Insulators substantially suppress intense analog sound waves (8) reaching the User while audio receivers enhance lower-volume audio and deliver communications data. Shades block all analog light (9) from reaching the User while the camera samples photic data between the light bursts and displays digitally recreated images inside the goggles or visor. Targets are disoriented and disabled. User receives environmental information stripped of disabling high-intensity audio and photic information.

(3) Activation can occur in various ways including a User switching it on manually or unit leaders or a Central Command triggering the system by radio or similar means. Shield components are worn by the User or Users. Screamer and Dazzler components are deployable in a number of configurations, not limited to mounted on a user, mounted on tripods, mounted on ground or air vehicles. Screamer and Dazzler are shown here separately (to illustrate their separate functions); in practice the functions can be combined in a single device.

(4) FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

(5) Command Center (1) electronically activates tank-mounted (2) high-intensity light (Dazzler) and aerially (UAV) deployed (3) high-intensity audio component (Screamer) against Targets (4) as User force (5) protected by Shield (6) components (Shades and Insulators) advances. Individual members of the User force, along with the Command Center and tank operators and remote UAV pilots, receive environmental information (7) from which all analog effects of Dazzler have been removed and audio stimulation from the Screamer has been substantially reduced by the Shield component. The Targets are disoriented and disabled by the pulses of high-intensity light and high-volume and high-frequency sound, while the User force remains substantially unaffected.

(6) There are several benefits to this embodiment. Among them: i) It frees individual Users from carrying Dazzlers and Screamers. ii) The vehicle electrical system provides a stronger and more reliable power source than an individual User's battery pack. iii) The embodiment is scalable: single or multiple Dazzlers and Screamers can be deployed against individual Targets or varied-sized Target groups. Dazzler and Screamer are shown here as separate devices but can be combined in a single device.

(7) A similar configuration could employ piloted aircraft such as helicopters. The system could be incorporated into an entirely unmanned embodiment employing remotely controlled air and ground vehicles and mechanical User forces.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS

(8) MASS projects photic stimulation flashes (pulses) at a high intensity sufficient to induce partial and temporary blindness in a human being but at less than the intensity that may cause permanent damage to the human eye.

(9) MASS projects audio stimulation pulses at frequencies and decibels that induce pain, disorientation and other disabling effects in a human being but at less than the frequency and decibel levels that are likely to cause permanent damage.

(10) The photic Shades component of MASS comprises opaque goggles or visors that admit no analog photic data to the user. A camera picks up samples) environmental visual data between the photic pulses and produces a visual display for the user inside the goggles or visor. A fail-safe aspect of Shades is that the recreated environmental photic information can be limited in its intensity to protect the user from the effects of light bursts produced by an adversary.

(11) The audio Insulator components of MASS comprises headphones employing passive noise suppression and active noise-cancellation (ANC) and/or sound-activated compression (SAC) to reduce decibels experienced by the user. The same headphones provide microphones collecting low-decibel data and delivering radio communications among individual users and a Central Command.

ADVANTAGES

(12) MASS affords a highly flexible system for control of crowds, police targets or military targets while reducing the likelihood of fatal injuries to the targets, to non-combatants, and to users. It is scalable from single user to multiple users. It can be deployed in circumstances in which the user faces a small number of adversaries or against a larger force. It can be deployed against relatively low-violence resistance or against a military or terrorist group in conjunction with lethal force. The user may employ the light source (Dazzler) alone or in combination with the high-frequency, high-volume audio stimulation source (Screamer). Because the patterns and intensity are set by the user (directly or by a Central Command), they can be varied according to circumstances. The user Shield blocks unwanted photic data from reaching the user and substantially reduces disorienting audio data reaching the user while maintaining the flow of valuable environmental information.

(13) The key improvements that MASS affords over previous systems are:

(14) a) the combination of photic and audio stimulation against adversaries;

(15) b) the digital processing of photic information that reaches the user. This processing is carried out through digital visual sampling and recreation of images and through audio suppression, filtering and enhancement.

(16) c) adaptable technology for stimulation of targets and protection of users is commercially available.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATION AND SCOPE

(17) This non-lethal system is suitable for domestic crowd control during civil unrest, for peace-keeping operations in hostile environments, for prisoner control, for refugee control, or in military suppression of hostile populations or forces in which the use of exdusively lethal methodsas when the hostile force is embedded within a civilian populationis undesirable. The non-lethal system is also suitable for use in conjunction with other, including lethal, suppression methods. The system enables a user to narrow its use of lethal methods to actual combatants as they become vulnerable through disabling light and sound.