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A researcher at the defense company Boeing has filed a patent for a sci-fi-esque cloaking device that would protect soldiers from intense shock waves generated by explosions.
The just-issued patent (No. 8,981,261) to Boeing envisions stopping shock waves using a veil of heated, ionized air. Such a "shield" would damp the force of explosions. It doesn't build an invisible wall of force, but rather makes shock waves bend around objects, just as some high-tech materials bend light and make things invisible.
...
That arc heats and ionizes, or charges, particles of air. The heated air would work as a shield by changing the speed at which shock waves travel, and therefore bending them around a protected soldier, Tillotson said.Sound waves (and other wave types) propagate faster in hot air, Tillotson said. For that reason, the shock wave would speed up when it hits the heated air around the electrical discharge. As the shock wave speeds up, it would change direction slightly, or refract, away from the person or object behind the arc. That bending occurs because of the change in speed of the wave, and the shape of the area of hot air the shock wave hits determines the exact direction.
Military considerations aside, it's an interesting idea that fits conceptually within the topic of metamaterials that are being explored to bend light and sound around objects.
Original Submission
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 16 2015, @01:53PM
Step inside the oven, and you won't CARE much about any shockwaves. The military has a lot of experience with putting troops in hot places. Inside the hulls of ships, hiking across deserts, downtown in the middle of summer with no air conditioning, trucks, cattle cars, tanks - and much much more.
(Score: 2) by GoonDu on Thursday July 16 2015, @01:59PM
>For that reason, the shock wave would speed up when it hits the heated air around the electrical discharge. As the shock wave speeds up, it would change direction slightly, or refract, away from the person or object behind the arc. That bending occurs because of the change in speed of the wave, and the shape of the area of hot air the shock wave hits determines the exact direction.
So when it activates, people speaking to you will sound like distorted chipmunks? Sign me on.
(Score: 2) by dyingtolive on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:27PM
Hawkwind - Sonic Attack:
In case of sonic attack on your district, follow these rules
If you are making love it is imperative
To bring all bodies to orgasm simultaneously
Do not waste time blocking your ears
Do not waste time seeking a sound proofed shelter
Try to get as far away from the sonic source as possible
Do not panic, do not panic, do not panic
Do not panic, do not panic, do not panic
Use your wheels it is what they are for
Do not attempt to use your own limbs
Small babies should be placed inside the special cocoons
And should be left, if possible, in shelters
If no wheels are available metal, metal, metal, metal
Metal, metal, metal, metal
Not organic limbs should be employed whenever practical
Remember, remember, remember, remember
In the case of sonic attack survival means
Every man for himself, himself, himself, himself, himself, himself
Statistically more people survive if they think
Only of themselves, only of themselves, only of themselves
Do not attempt to rescue friends, relatives, loved ones
You have only a few seconds to escape
Use those seconds sensibly or you will inevitably die
Do not panic, do not panic
Think only of yourself, think only of yourself
Think only of yourself, think only of yourself
These are the first signs of sonic attack
You will notice small objects such as ornaments oscillating
You will notice
You will hear a distant hissing in your ears
You will feel dizzy, you will feel the need to vomit
You may be subject to fits of hysterical shouting or even laughter
These are all sign of imminent sonic destruction
Your only protection is flight
If you are less than ten years old
Remain in your shelter and use your cocoon
If I remember you can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
You can help no one else, no one else
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:23PM
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:27PM
Secret 3G Intel Chip Gives Snoops Backdoor PC Access
vPro processors allow remote access even when computer is turned off
Paul Joseph Watson | Infowars.com | September 26, 2013
http://www.infowars.com/91497/ [infowars.com]
"Intel Core vPro processors contain a "secret" 3G chip that allows remote disabling and backdoor access to any computer even when it is turned off.
Although the technology has actually been around for a while, the attendant privacy concerns are only just being aired. The "secret" 3G chip that Intel added to its processors in 2011 caused little consternation until the NSA spying issue exploded earlier this year as a result of Edward Snowden's revelations.
In a promotional video for the technology, Intel brags that the chips actually offer enhanced security because they don't require computers to be "powered on" and allow problems to be fixed remotely. The promo also highlights the ability for an administrator to shut down PCs remotely "even if the PC is not connected to the network," as well as the ability to bypass hard drive encryption.
"Intel actually embedded the 3G radio chip in order to enable its Anti Theft 3.0 technology. And since that technology is found on every Core i3/i5/i7 CPU after Sandy Bridge, that means a lot of CPUs, not just new vPro, might have a secret 3G connection nobody knew about until now,"reports Softpedia.
Jeff Marek, director of business client engineering for Intel, acknowledged that the company's Sandy Bridge" microprocessor, which was released in 2011, had "the ability to remotely kill and restore a lost or stolen PC via 3G."
"Core vPro processors contain a second physical processor embedded within the main processor which has it's own operating system embedded on the chip itself," writes Jim Stone. "As long as the power supply is available and and in working condition, it can be woken up by the Core vPro processor, which runs on the system's phantom power and is able to quietly turn individual hardware components on and access anything on them."
Although the technology is being promoted as a convenient way for IT experts to troubleshoot PC issues remotely, it also allows hackers or NSA snoops to view the entire contents of somebody's hard drive, even when the power is off and the computer is not connected to a wi-fi network.
It also allows third parties to remotely disable any computer via the "secret" 3G chip that is built into Intel's Sandy Bridge processors. Webcams could also be remotely accessed.
"This combination of hardware from Intel enables vPro access ports which operate independently of normal user operations," reports TG Daily. "These include out-of-band communications (communications that exist outside of the scope of anything the machine might be doing through an OS or hypervisor), monitoring and altering of incoming and outgoing network traffic. In short, it operates covertly and snoops and potentially manipulates data."
Not only does this represent a privacy nightmare, it also dramatically increases the risk of industrial espionage.
The ability for third parties to have remote 3G access to PCs would also allow unwanted content to be placed on somebody's hard drive, making it easier for intelligence agencies and corrupt law enforcement bodies to frame people.
"The bottom line? The Core vPro processor is the end of any pretend privacy," writes Stone. "If you think encryption, Norton, or anything else is going to ensure your privacy, including never hooking up to the web at all, think again. There is now more than just a ghost in the machine."
Facebook @https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71 [facebook.com]
FOLLOW Paul Joseph Watson @https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet [twitter.com]
---------------------------------------------
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/enterprise-security/what-is-vpro-technology-video.html [intel.com]
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Secret-3G-Radio-in-Every-Intel-vPro-CPU-Could-Steal-Your-Ideas-at-Any-Time-385194.shtml [softpedia.com]
http://www.popularresistance.org/new-intel-based-pcs-permanently-hackable/ [popularresistance.org]
http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-opinion/39455-big-brother-potentially-exists-right-now-in-our-pcs-compliments-of-intels-vpr [tgdaily.com]
http://infowars.com/ [infowars.com]
http://prisonplanet.com/ [prisonplanet.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:48PM
In other words, as long as the computer is not switched off. Now, most modern computers can only be switched off by physically disconnecting them from the grid (and, if it's a laptop, removing the battery), therefore the number of actually switched off computers might be low. But this is a prime example why the difference between "switched off" and "standby" matters.
My desktop computer is normally switched off when not in use, because I use a switchable socket which I switch off after the computer is shut down. Granted, I don't do that because of security concerns, but because of the reduced power consumption and concerns about lightning-induced voltage, but it certainly means such a hidden chip won't help them the slightest when my computer is off. They would have to enter my home and physically operate the switch to access my computer. At which point they'd have much more effective means to disable or access my computer anyway, without the need of a hidden chip.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:50PM
Oops, how did that post end up on the wrong story? I'm certain that I was an the right one while writing that post (heck, I even copy/pasted from its display above the input box!)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:54PM
Actually I now notice that the story I replied to seems to be gone completely!?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:59PM
Ah, now I notice … the "story" I was replying to was actually a comment, which was downvoted for being offtopic and thus stopped being displayed. I got confused.
Maybe the main page and the comments should get a slightly different design, so as to avoid this type of confusion.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:03PM
Try submitting it, but without the infowars/prisonplanet links
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @05:57PM
The whole thing is exactly like all the other crap from those sites - a kernel of truth wrapped in a million layers of propaganda.
Yes, there is a "secret" (advertised business feature) micro-os onboard some newer Intel chips.
Yes, IF you have 3G support in your motherboard, this chip can use it. That is a desired feature for many corporations.
No, if you DON'T have 3G support, this so-called "secret Intel chip" does NOT allow the NSA to log on through a cell-tower.
PS Computers have had the ability to do this kind of thing via LAN for a very long time.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:29PM
So the part of the shock wave which would have hit you is instead redirected to the poor guy standing besides you, while the part of the shock wave that would have hit him now will hit you?
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday July 16 2015, @05:02PM
Considering the density of the air, i'd be surprised of there was significant refraction just from heating it.
If that shockwave was gonna kill you in the first place, you'd better hide behind a pretty big vacuum to prevent it from bridging the gap.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:54PM
Good thing we're here to take up the slack.
(Score: 3, Informative) by DrMag on Thursday July 16 2015, @02:58PM
This article reads like it was written by someone who's never seen sci-fi. Call it a shield, if you will, but this is not cloaking.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @06:20PM
Yes. And it doesn't cover whether or not the shield attracts sandworms and what happens if it is shot by a lasgun.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:07PM
For every good defense, there's an equally good offense. Hot air as a shield against shock? Great! How's it handle debris? Militaries have had heat-seeking weapons for a very long time - you've just made yourself a glowing target. Most of them go boom and throw high-speed bits of metal around... those bits will probably make it through a veil of hot air. Wrap the shield around armor? Okay - does it do anything to protect against the normal anti-armor stuff? Since heat tends to rise up and away, how do you keep from losing it? Constantly generate new heat, or flick it on just moments before the shockwave hits - so the air doesn't have time to dissipate? How quickly can the shield be raised anyway?
Heat-seeking warheads are used on anti-vehicle weapons only, we don't use them on troops? Okay. Thermal-vision goggles exist too, and you're still glowing in the IR spectrum - standing out like a Vegas showgirl at a convention for accountants.
Boeing has a lot of work ahead of them. Neat stuff, but lots of work.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @06:16PM
Well, on an aircraft carrier or non-stealthy vehicle, I could see it working. Heck, I can see it surrounding an aircraft carrier's deck to protect the people standing on it (with a whole to launch through).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @06:45PM
Thus the specific and initial limitation of the theoretical device to protect against one and only one thing: airborne shock waves.
Look, I know it is an easy ego boosting thing to poke holes in defense/attack tech, but really you already knew there are severe limitations when your adversary is a huge number of intelligent people with ill intent. When you get over the ego boosting, just try to analyze within operating parameters against the threats it is designed to counteract. If you are more of a strategy person think of economic and opportunity costs too. Either way, simply saying "nuh uh this is not a silver bullet" even with your poison-pill caveat, does not make for a legitimate thought.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 17 2015, @07:27PM
How's it handle debris?
Already handled by other stuff.
you've just made yourself a glowing target.
Most sane people who would have been killed/injured otherwise wouldn't care that much about that.
As for the other issues you mention, RTFA.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:58PM
It used to be that one patented inventions. Now they patent science fiction.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @07:50PM
What happens to the soldier beside/behind the high ranking officer with the fancy plasma shield?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 16 2015, @10:36PM
seems like something to replace space shuttle reentry tiles or maybe something that could be applied to wind turbine blades to make 'em even more efficient?