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== Background ==

== Background ==

Project X, also known as Project Xylophone, grew out of the earlier work by [[Robert Stadler]], PhD, who became Director of the [[State Science Institute]] in 2004, shortly before the beginning of John Galt's famous strike. Robert Stadler had done pioneering work in the physics of [[sound]], and particularly in [[ultrasonic]] sound, presumably while he was Chairman of the [[Physics]] Department at the [[Patrick Henry]] University (not to be confused with the real-life [[Patrick Henry College]]). The nature of Robert Stadler's work is never explained in the narrative, but recent real-life work in acoustical science has resulted in a device capable of delivering a coherent "beam" of ultrasonic sound.<ref name=Nottingham>University of Nottingham. "A Sonic Boom In The World Of Lasers." ''ScienceDaily'' 18 June 2009. 18 June 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2009/06/090617123652.htm>.</ref> Perhaps Dr. Stadler had developed such a device, called a ''saser'' (an obvious play on the word ''[[laser]]''), in the hope of using it to produce what would, in the time setting of the novel, have become the first-ever automatic digital [[computer]].

Project X, also known as Project Xylophone, grew out of the earlier work by [[Robert Stadler]], PhD, who became Director of the [[State Science Institute]] in 2004, shortly before the beginning of John Galt's famous strike. Robert Stadler had done pioneering work in the physics of [[sound]], and particularly in [[ultrasonic]] sound, presumably while he was Chairman of the [[Physics]] Department at the [[Patrick Henry]] University (not to be confused with the real-life [[Patrick Henry College]]). The nature of Robert Stadler's work is never explained in the narrative, but recent real-life work in acoustical science has resulted in a device capable of delivering a coherent "beam" of ultrasonic sound.<ref name=Nottingham>University of Nottingham. "A Sonic Boom In The World Of Lasers." ''ScienceDaily'' 18 June 2009. 18 June 2009 <https://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2009/06/090617123652.htm>.</ref> Perhaps Dr. Stadler had developed such a device, called a ''saser'' (an obvious play on the word ''[[laser]]''), in the hope of using it to produce what would, in the time setting of the novel, have become the first-ever automatic digital [[computer]].

When Dr. Stadler came to the State Science Institute as its Director, he continued his work on sound and essentially placed all of it in the [[public domain]]. (Note that the Copyright Act of 1973 provides that the work product of any government agency is in the public domain in the United States.)

When Dr. Stadler came to the State Science Institute as its Director, he continued his work on sound and essentially placed all of it in the [[public domain]]. (Note that the Copyright Act of 1973 provides that the work product of any government agency is in the public domain in the United States.)

No real-life investigator has ever attempted to duplicate the Xylophone or to build anything like it. However, scientists at the [[University of Nottingham]] have built a device capable of producing a beam of coherent sound in the range of terahertz (trillions of vibrations per second).<ref name=Nottingham/> The project scientists call their device a "saser," a play on [[laser]], a device for producing coherent [[light]]. The Nottingham group hopes to use their device as an instrument of harmless imaging, for [[medicine|medical]] or security purposes (i.e., anti-[[terorrism|terrorist]] screening in public venues). They also talk hopefully of using their device to produce [[computer]]s with ''very'' high-speed internal clocks. But just as lasers have always been theoretically capable of burning or cutting if the light is powerful enough, the "saser" could deliver an ultrasonic beam capable of pulverizing an object, just as a dentist's sonicator pulverizes calcium deposits on teeth or dentures.

No real-life investigator has ever attempted to duplicate the Xylophone or to build anything like it. However, scientists at the [[University of Nottingham]] have built a device capable of producing a beam of coherent sound in the range of terahertz (trillions of vibrations per second).<ref name=Nottingham/> The project scientists call their device a "saser," a play on [[laser]], a device for producing coherent [[light]]. The Nottingham group hopes to use their device as an instrument of harmless imaging, for [[medicine|medical]] or security purposes (i.e., anti-[[terorrism|terrorist]] screening in public venues). They also talk hopefully of using their device to produce [[computer]]s with ''very'' high-speed internal clocks. But just as lasers have always been theoretically capable of burning or cutting if the light is powerful enough, the "saser" could deliver an ultrasonic beam capable of pulverizing an object, just as a dentist's sonicator pulverizes calcium deposits on teeth or dentures.

The most recent use of sound as a weapon occurred in the [[Iraq]] theater, where soldiers often used Long Range Acoustical Devices, or LRADs, to direct an ear-splitting sound at an unruly crowd or an approaching attacker.<ref name=lrad>"Troops in Iraq Get High-tech Noisemaker," [[Associated Press]], March 3, 2004. <http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_noise_030304,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl></ref> About a year later, a cruise ship used an LRAD-like device to repel [[pirates]].<ref name=usatoday>Pain, John, "Cruise ship attacked by pirates used sonic weapon," ''USA Today'', November 7, 2005.<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2005-11-07-cruise-blast_x.htm></ref> The most recent documented use of the LRAD occurred on [[United States]] soil, in September 2009. Specifically, the police of [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]] used LRADs to disperse a crowd of demonstrators at the "Group of 20 Summit." That act has provoked great controversy, charges of excessive use of force, and comparisons to the [[Gestapo]] and [[stormtroopers]] of Nazi [[Germany]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref name=King>King T, "[http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october012009/lrad_hell_tk_10-1-09.php# The Criminal Behavior of G-20 Police in Pittsburgh]," Salem-News.com, 1 October 2009. Accessed 6 October 2009.</ref>

The most recent use of sound as a weapon occurred in the [[Iraq]] theater, where soldiers often used Long Range Acoustical Devices, or LRADs, to direct an ear-splitting sound at an unruly crowd or an approaching attacker.<ref name=lrad>"Troops in Iraq Get High-tech Noisemaker," [[Associated Press]], March 3, 2004. <http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_noise_030304,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl></ref> About a year later, a cruise ship used an LRAD-like device to repel [[pirates]].<ref name=usatoday>Pain, John, "Cruise ship attacked by pirates used sonic weapon," ''USA Today'', November 7, 2005.<https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2005-11-07-cruise-blast_x.htm></ref> The most recent documented use of the LRAD occurred on [[United States]] soil, in September 2009. Specifically, the police of [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]] used LRADs to disperse a crowd of demonstrators at the "Group of 20 Summit." That act has provoked great controversy, charges of excessive use of force, and comparisons to the [[Gestapo]] and [[stormtroopers]] of Nazi [[Germany]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref name=King>King T, "[http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october012009/lrad_hell_tk_10-1-09.php# The Criminal Behavior of G-20 Police in Pittsburgh]," Salem-News.com, 1 October 2009. Accessed 6 October 2009.</ref>

This is not the same as using sound to pulverize an object. The worst physical hazard that the LRAD could present to an overexposed subject is permanent hearing loss. The possible psychological harm to an exposed subject might be impossible to assess or predict.

This is not the same as using sound to pulverize an object. The worst physical hazard that the LRAD could present to an overexposed subject is permanent hearing loss. The possible psychological harm to an exposed subject might be impossible to assess or predict.