Long Range Acoustic Device

The LRAD or the long range acoustic device that has been developed
by American Technology Corporation is capable of emitting a
maximum of 151Db sound within 30 degrees of where the device is
pointing. This device can be used as a combatant deterrent weapon or
crowd-control device by emitting sounds that are painful to the ears.

The LRAD weighs about 210 kilograms and is capable of emitting

sound within a 15 to 30 degree beam. The range of the LRAD is 300 to
500 meters and, at maximum volume, it can emit sound 50 times
greater than the human threshold for pain so it can cause permanent
damage.

Sound Propagation Principles used by LRAD

Sound waves spread out in all directions as they travel through a

medium and lose strength proportional to the distance from the
source. High-frequency sound waves, however, spread out less than
low-frequency sound waves. Moreover, sound waves with longer
wavelengths travel a lot farther than those with short wavelengths.
Sound waves can also either cancel each other out or merge together
into a sound wave with higher amplitude depending on whether they
are out of phase or not.

LRAD applies all the abovementioned properties of sound to make the

device work.

The Technology behind the LRAD

Instead of the usual diaphragm that normal speakers use to make

sound, the long range acoustic device uses a set of piezoelectric
transducers which are capable of converting electrical energy into
sound. These piezoelectric transducers are permanently polarized, so
any distortion of the shape of such transducers creates an electrical
impulse and vice-versa. By using a power source to supply this
electrical impulse, piezoelectric transducers can rapidly change their
shape, therefore, creating sound waves in the process. The
transducers are also arranged so that they are in phase with each
other so that the resulting sounds they emit can combine to make the
projected sounds louder.

The sound that the LRAD produces can be directed so there's less-
than-normal dispersion. This results in a 20-dB drop in the volume of
sound 15 degrees outside the beam. This directional sound
propagation stems from the fact that the LRAD employs outer and
inner transducers in creating sound waves that are not completely in
phase with each other. This enables other sound waves to cancel out
those that are in the outermost portion of the beam. The resulting
wave front of the sound is also flatter than usual, preventing the sound
from being dispersed as it propagates. Moreover, as the LRAD-
produced sound waves interact with the air, they create additional
frequencies within the wave and thus amplify the sound and pitch.

Advantages and Disadvantages of LRAD

The primary advantage in military and law enforcement circles is that

the LRAD is a less than lethal solution that has the potential to prevent
antagonists from continuing their unwanted activities, without
endangering the friendly personnel.

The major disadvantages of the LRAD system are:

• The loud sounds the LRAD emits may cause permanent hearing
damage to those within its range.
• The LRAD sound wave can be cancelled altogether through the
use of common earplugs. The better the earplugs are at blocking
sound waves, the less effective the LRAD is.
• Sounds emitted from the LRAD can be reflected back to the
source by using a flat solid object.

Source: http://www.tech-faq.com/long-range-acoustic-device.html