Maximum pain is aim of new US weapon

[shift]

From New Scientist:

Quote:The US military is funding development of a weapon that delivers a bout of excruciating pain from up to 2 kilometres away. Intended for use against rioters, it is meant to leave victims unharmed. But pain researchers are furious that work aimed at controlling pain has been used to develop a weapon. And they fear that the technology will be used for torture.

The link to the full story: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7077

Well, this sounds pretty weird and mostly scary.
Where\'s the limit in antiriot systems? Just dead?

Anyway, it seems that the old cliche about science advancements being used just for military stuff is here again... and as soon as 2007.

I wonder if there\'s any defensive system for that kind of weapon.