Sonic weaponry
Sonic weapons are a type of non-lethal weaponry currently in limited use and extensive research and development by military and police forces. They are also a common category of science fiction weaponry.
Certain high or low, partially audible frequencies cause humans to experience nausea or discomfort. The use of these frequencies to incapacitate persons has been used both in counter-terrorist and crowd control settings. The 2002 French film Irreversible also used these frequencies in a commercial setting to increase audience disquiet.
Research into "sonic bullets", sonic grenades, and sonic cannons is underway, as well. See external links for a 2002 report.
Science Fiction Weapons
Sonic weapons are hypothetical weapons in science fiction that use sound waves as an attack form. They generally fall into two categories in games and movies - sonic stunners and physical sound.
Stunners
Sonic stunners project a high-pitch, high-frequency wave of sound that can shatter the eardrums of its targets and cause severe pain or disorientation. Usually, this will stop an enemy in its tracks, and is helpful against enemies with great physical resistances. Against creatures with naturally sensitive hearing, it is devastating. Stunners can be forward-projecting guns, area-projection mechanisms, or even grenades and mines.
Physical sound
Physical sound weapons use sound wave projections as an attack form. Condensed low-pitched sound waves act as a physical force due to changes in pressure. Some of these weapons project a shock wave that blows enemies back; some use a tight beam of focused sound, used similar to focused light in laser guns; some use a controlled sonic 'blade', wielded like a sword, the power of which can liquefy living tissue. The sound may also get buildings or structures to resonate and that way break them.
Rifles that project sound to knock down or stun are featured in the 2002 movie Minority Report.
See also
