Question

With alot of concern mounting over the patent that was found (US6506148 B2) I am coming to see what you fine people think of it. Personally I cannot imagine that an EMF with a frequency of .5 hz would be able to interact with flesh to any noticeable degree. Essentially the patent states that by modulating the intensity of a screen (LCD or CRT) you can induce an EMF at .5-1 hz that will sedate a human being. The tests the patent holder references actually forces an EMF through a human body by physically attaching an anode and cathode to the subject. I'dincludeMoreButIamLimitedby#ofChars

Answer 1

This is assuming that a EMF with a wavelength that incredibly low could be created and controlled in the first place. The patent holder references FM. Perhaps by very slightly modulating the light coming from the display you would be able to create a secondary EMF by interacting with the PEL's of the molecules either in the phosphor or the air immediately outside of the screen? Either way for that signal to reach the human subject, I would imagine there would need to be a significant amplitude for that signal, so the human subject doesn't need to tape their face to the screen, something that, if forced would probably result in more problems than a calming effect. I don't really see this being possible, but that's for a physicist to verify.

Answer 2

are you on the run?

Answer 3

Not yet.

Answer 4

get a lawyer

fast

Answer 5

I should mention that I meant to say "wavelength that incredibly long" not low. Also, this post is implying I don't actually _believe_ that this is possible, but I've seen numerous sites and people that are terrified over this patent. None of them are really focusing on the technical details included in the documentation. Im looking to you people to prove me wrong, and outline some details that may at least make a device like this plausable.

Answer 6

I don't see anything in this patent that not known from before to speak honestly. Most of it was also proven to be nonsense. Subliminal messaging of the form where once or twice in a second they flash an image at you of something was always believed to be able "modify" behaviour and emotional state.

By this I mean if they flash you a good looking sandwich or a tasty baked chicken with potatoes fast enough you'll turn hungry and that's going to make you anxious or sad if there's no food around. If they flash a gun at you you're not immediately going to get up and kill your neighbours.

This was apparently later proven to be correct, but only in strict lab conditions where you would be under the influence of these subliminal messages without your knowledge and then come up and ask you to answer quickly chicken or egg, lipton ice tea or water. The "effects" wear off almost immediately and have no long lasting effects according to Koermans and Stroebe's article

http://www.werbepsychologie-uamr.de/files/literatur/02_Karremanns_Vicary_2006_Beyond-Vicary.pdf

Which seems to crop up everywhere when googling the term "subliminal messaging does it work". From that fact and from what little I skimmed over couple of sections of the paper I can only conclude it's a good source on this topic. And there's a *lot* on it, apparently the first such commercials that used this technique date back to 1956. So it's a well-tested area and if the economical giants like tv networks and houses gave up on the idea in favor of product placement etc... you know it works really really bad. I'm saying all of this because this is what seems to be primary goal of that patent as they say themselves: http://www.google.com/patents/US6506148

"For the latter, the image pulsing may be imbedded in the program material, or it may be overlaid by modulating a video stream, either as an RF signal or as a video signal."

The only mentions of the influencing electromagnetic waves are always in the context of a crutch to support their claim, although none of it anything to do with it. For example let's not analyze the whole text below but just take the first sentence:

"Physiological effects have been observed in a human subject in response to stimulation of the skin with weak electromagnetic fields that are pulsed with certain frequencies near ½ Hz or 2.4 Hz, such as to excite a sensory resonance."

In translation the first one means: when we make a field that makes your hair stand you get goosebumps, ticklish and feel a bit nervous. Not you now have to do what we tell you. Later on they go and list all the effects like eye ptosis and whatnot, but that's physical response to a physical stimulation - not mind control. So, mind control via electromagnetic fields - nonsense. Proven nonsense.

I have not found mentions of them being able to sedate anyone.

Answer 7

Agreed, however looking at it technologically, how can one create a weak field with a wavelength of roughly 600000000 m long and be able to accurately control it by varying screen intensity. That is the part that gets me. Thermionic? A secondary field created from VL or IR exciting electrons in molecules of air or screen phosphors? It doesn't seem to be made clear in the document.