http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2006/04/04/mosquito_sound_wave_feature.shtml

Quote :

"The 'Mosquito' sonic deterrent device was installed by the Wyvern Theatre in an attempt to stop groups of up to 100 youngsters from gathering around Theatre Square. It was named the 'Mosquito' because the sound resembles that of a buzzing insect. And it works by emitting a harmless ultra sonic tone that generally can only be heard by people aged 25 and under. In trials, it has proven that the longer someone is exposed to the sound, the more annoying it becomes. Crime Reduction Officer Bob Walton elaborated further: "Effectively, it's a transmitter which sends out a specialised frequency noise which according to the manufacture is particularly audible to young people under the age of 25. He said: "I'm in my fifties and when it's turned on all I can hear is a very faint buzz. But I understand from young people who have been exposed to the noise, it is very annoying." Swindon's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Cheri Wright says it is working well. She said: "We had a meeting with local retailers arounds here - after it had been installed for around three weeks - and feedback was really positive. "Everyone was saying there has been a marked reduction in criminal damage and problems with the shops, so they've really welcomed it." Click the link below to listen to an MP3 of the 'Mosquito' sonic deterrent soundwave to see if you are susceptible or not. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/audio/mosquito_sound.mp3"

God, I am so old and deaf.

5/29/2006 4:26:11 PM

while ^ is old news, the new thing to do with the misquito buzzing sound is to set it as your cell phone ring tone. That way, students can receive text message notifications during class, and the teacher can't hear it.

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/24/kids_turn_teen_repel.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5434687&ft=1&f=1019

on the NPR page you can listen to an MP3 of the sound. I can hear it lound and clear and it makes my ears hurt....

5/29/2006 4:34:06 PM

i wish iw as premie so i could put this in every thread in chit chat.

[Edited on May 29, 2006 at 4:42 PM. Reason : and yeah, the longer it is on the more it hurts my ears]

5/29/2006 4:41:17 PM

Crap, I can't hear it. I thought I had decent hearing. The MP3 sounded like the wind and a couple of people laughing in the background. I'm 22.

5/29/2006 4:47:36 PM

turn it up? i couldnt hear it at first but when it urned it up a bit it was bleh.

5/29/2006 4:55:52 PM

Nah, I turned it up to reasonable volume, I thought.

Well, at full volume, I guess I can hear a pretty piercing sound. Is it supposed to be anything recognizable or just a piercing tone?

[Edited on May 29, 2006 at 5:00 PM. Reason : ]

5/29/2006 4:57:35 PM

its a high pitched "squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak..."

5/29/2006 5:24:09 PM

i am over 25, all i could hear was a high pitch squeak....i can see how it could be annoying if you had to listen to get for a long time, but it really didnt bother me that much. Certainily didnt sound like a buzzing

5/29/2006 6:27:43 PM

That would definitely give me a headache.

5/29/2006 7:38:18 PM

it wasn't as nice as an orgasm, but i wouldn't run screaming out of the vicinity either

i heard it loud and clear. maybe the mp3 compression takes some of the "shoo" factor out of it

5/29/2006 7:58:05 PM

I heard it

5/29/2006 8:11:28 PM

Congratulations, you have permanent hearing lost. Once that shit's gone it ain't coming back either.

Might want to start avoiding concerts and turn down the stereo in your car while you still can.

Men who live remote areas(ie jungle) their entire life can hear that noise well into old age.

5/29/2006 8:12:32 PM

just one more thing i'm counting on medical science to fix for me...

5/29/2006 9:03:00 PM

Kids get the shit end of the stick alot of times in situations like these. At least it's better than curfews, which always struck me as very un-American.

5/29/2006 9:07:08 PM

i've listened to 50 Merzbow cd's in their entirety

shit like this cannot phase me


but on the real, it bugs me that some stores would employ this kind of tactic. i'm curious what kind of stores, that otherwise would have teens hanging around near them, would basically say "i'm sorry, but we don't want any customers under the age of 25." i know i wouldn't shop at stores like that out of principle, regardless of my age.

5/30/2006 12:58:53 AM

they could play the sound at night when skater punks are loitering around skateboarding and such around the area

[Edited on May 30, 2006 at 1:43 AM. Reason : honestly though, radio/tv static and a vacuum cleaner are more annoying to me than that mp3]

5/30/2006 1:42:21 AM

I'm disappointed by my inability to hear this. I'll chalk it up to packed sinuses.

5/30/2006 10:50:47 AM

The link on the npr site doesnt annoy me, the one on this site, http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/articles/2006/04/04/mosquito_sound_wave_feature.shtml
fucking hurts to listen to

5/30/2006 11:38:26 AM

Someone should embed the sound in the thread.

[Edited on May 30, 2006 at 11:44 AM. Reason : -or did someone already do that?]

5/30/2006 11:44:41 AM

you have to turn the BBC one up to hear it, the NPR one is loud and clear

it sounds like that sound a tv makes sometimes

5/30/2006 12:14:46 PM

I've heard worse in the unity lab in DH Hill.

5/30/2006 6:44:36 PM

damn, i thought i was losing it. turns out it was wmp not cooperating.

5/30/2006 9:01:54 PM

yeah it is pretty annoying. A few friends of mine (back in high school) and I could make that noise so loud that it almost hurt from across the room. The teacher couldn't hear it but the class could and man did they ever get pissed off when someone would be making it for the ~90 min we were in class.

5/30/2006 10:20:32 PM

kids are now using the sound as their cell phone ringer

teachers can't hear it

6/12/2006 6:25:36 PM

In Australia (I believe Sydney), they play Barry Manilow in places to prevent troublemakers and mobs from gathering in spots. I think I'd rather listen to the Mosquito.

6/13/2006 1:38:12 AM

^^
haha yep, GMA had a news piece on it this morning. w00t for unintended consequences

6/13/2006 9:07:18 AM

lounge material

6/13/2006 9:40:12 AM