The Mosquito

[Rexmons]

I don't know if anyone has heard of this but they came out with a device to deter teenagers from loitering by playing a sound at a certain frequency that people lose the ability to hear around the age of 25. It's supposed to be annoying to all of the young kids who can actually hear it and the adults go about there business without even realizing what's going on. I'm 27, so I wanted to see for myself if I could hear it, and I couldn't so I guess that part of my hearing is gone for good. More interestingly I read an article today saying that kids are now using this sound as their ringtone in school so they don't get busted by the teacher who can't even hear it. Two hypothetical questions arise:

1. Can words be transmitted in this frequency so only young people can hear it?

2. Can this annoying sound be played on giant speakers and cripple bad youngsters leaving adults unharmed?

If you want to check the site out and see if you can hear the sound the link is here.




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[Flint]

I can't hear it. My wife can, and complains about it being broadcast at the front entrance of Costco.

[glatt]

My brother made his own portable mosquito back in high school because his physics teacher talked to the class one day about hearing loss and how he couldn't hear high frequencies. He had fun playing with his "buzzer" during the class. The teacher had no idea why everyone was snickering.

[Rexmons]

I don't know how true this is but I remember reading somewhere that when your ears start ringing its actually your hearing going and that's the last time you'll ever hear that exact tone.

[lookout123]

I can't hear it. Guess that means I'm old and all used up.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by Rexmons

I don't know how true this is but I remember reading somewhere that when your ears start ringing its actually your hearing going and that's the last time you'll ever hear that exact tone.

I've heard that, but don't know if it's true or not. I do know that I hate when the power goes out because if it is completely and totally silent the ringing in my ears is overpowering to the point of being painful. too many concerts.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Rexmons

I don't know how true this is but I remember reading somewhere that when your ears start ringing its actually your hearing going and that's the last time you'll ever hear that exact tone.

Ringing in your ears is tinnitus, and if you want to know what that's like, spend a few days playing drums in a plexiglass booth.

[Rexmons]

they should make one for the home that transmits in this frequency at high decibels, not enough to harm anyone but loud enough you can talk with your spouse in front of your kids without them knowing what you're saying.

[lookout123]

Please, all you need to do is train them to use earmuffs a la Vince Vaughn.

[lumberjim]

WHAT?!

[Clodfobble]

Oh, sadness!! I specifically remember doing a frequency test when I was 17 and I topped out at 19 KHz. I am neither young, nor invincible to the ravages of age. Oh well, most of my professional peers are still older than I am, so I guess I'm still doing okay.

Originally Posted by Rexmons

1. Can words be transmitted in this frequency so only young people can hear it?

2. Can this annoying sound be played on giant speakers and cripple bad youngsters leaving adults unharmed?

1.) Language would require the fluctuations of frequencies, otherwise it's just starts and stops, like morse code. But it's conceivable that you could have the speech pitched up to 17.5 KHz and higher, which would accomplish the same thing--except you'd start to hit the ceiling of what your average teenager can hear (18-19 KHz) pretty quickly. I don't know if only 1KHz of difference between the highest and lowest pitches could produce an intelligible message or not.

2.) If by crippling you mean actually hurting their ears through the volume of the sound, then no, the adults would feel the pain too. The adult eardrums would still be subject to the very real pressure waves in the air, they just wouldn't be able to interpret it as a sound. Loud enough to drive them insane without being loud enough to hurt, though--that would be do-able.

[lookout123]

I don't know if only 1KHz of difference between the highest and lowest pitches could produce an intelligible message or not.

how often is a teenager able to produce an intelligible message regardless of the pitches?

[binky]

Originally Posted by Flint

I can't hear it. My wife can, and complains about it being broadcast at the front entrance of Costco.

okay so don't marry a teenager JUST KIDDING

[lumberjim]

Pearl Jam

Red Mosquito

[richlevy]

I'm sure moms with young children will appreciate their being made uncomfortable. And what happens if someone who is 'deaf' to the sound cranks up the volume over 100 decibels? I can almost smell the lawsuit.