Pirates thwarted with MP3 blast

A British firm is spearheading use of a high-tech 'sonic laser' to beat bandits on the high seas.

The piracy problems of shipping firms running through the Gulf of Aden and down Africa's east coast have been thrown into the spotlight by the seizure of the Saudi Arabian super-tanker Sirius Star.

Help could be at hand in the form of a long range acoustic device (LRAD), hooked up to a humble MP3 player.

About the size of a domestic satellite dish, LRADs blast the target with a precise beam of sound, warning messages, noise or sirens which can be tuned to excruciatingly painful levels should an attacker get too close.

It's very effective up to 1,000 metres and excruciating if you get within 100 or 200 metres. At full power it would result in permanent hearing damage.

It has been tested in an actual attack and the pirates were driven off.

The above from AAP News courtesy Michael VK2ZEN and Barry VK2BZ

Read more about LRAD
http://science.howstuffworks.com/lrad.htm