A few months ago we got word that Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc, a company based in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, had developed a “bracelet that delivers debilitating shocks when remotely triggered.” The company proposed to the TSA that every airline passenger should be required to wear this device so flight attendants can zap passengers into a stupor if they turn out to be terrorists.
The bracelet would contain information about travelers, be able to track their whereabouts and baggage, take the place of a boarding pass, as well as employ Electro-Musclar Disruption technology that could immobilize them for nearly 10 minutes.
Now comes word via the Washington Times that, after watching the video on Lamperd’s Web site, a senior official within the Department of Homeland Security is seriously considering making this bracelet mandatory.
In a letter to the inventory of the bracelet, Paul S. Ruwaldt of the Science and Technology Directorate, office of Research and Development, wants the company to submit a proposal. Ruwaldt feels that it will improve air security on passenger planes.
But what’s to stop flight attendants or air marshals, who will hold the remote control to activate it, from enabling the device on a passenger who just looks at them strangely?
It’ll be interesting to see how many people are willing to put up with this “minor inconvenience” for safety’s sake.
Looks like the culture that George Orwell wrote about in his novel 1984 may soon be here.
