Remotely Kill Any Electronic Circuit
Here’s another great technology from the movies that’s been made into reality. It uses a focused microwave beam to remotely disable a speeding vehicle, allowing the police to stop a fugitive’s car with much less risk than the typical tire puncturing tools.
The beam of microwave radiation is aimed at places where the car’s electrical system is exposed to the outside environment, such as the headlights, antenna, and exposed nuts and bolts. The microwave energy then overloads the circuit, damaging the wires or central processor. It works from 10 to 50 feet away in just 50 nanoseconds, and is not harmful to people.
Future plans for the device are to shrink it from 200 to 50 pounds, and to increase the range up to 600 feet. While I can’t think of much practical use for this technology aside from a tool for both cops and robbers alike, maybe there are other places where we need the ability to remotely kill some electronic system. Remote bomb diffusing, perhaps?
