Do you know a lot of loud people? Are you sick of being interrupted? Don’t you wish you could tell folks to shut up without actually telling them to shut up?
The Japanese have found a solution: a gun-like device that “silences” speech mid-sentence.
The gun has two purposes, according to the researchers: At its most basic, this gun could be used in libraries and other quiet spaces to stop people from speaking — but its second application is a lot more chilling.
The researchers were looking for a way to stop “louder, stronger” voices from saying more than their fair share in conversation: “We have to establish and obey rules for proper turn-taking when speaking. However, some people tend to lengthen their turns or deliberately interrupt other people when it is their turn in order to establish their presence rather than achieve more fruitful discussions. Furthermore, some people tend to jeer at speakers to invalidate their speech.”
In other words, this gun was invented for rude people. No, wait… it was invented for polite people to use on rude people.
As exciting as this technology sounds, it's probably not advisable you use this device on your boss, your parents, or your spouse.
[Source: ExtremeTech]