Russians created a powerful energy generator

[Panzerbear]

this is a newsflash from today - Russians created some kind of very powerful energy generator, so powerful that is only comparable to nuclear reactor. two prototypes have been already built in Ekaterinburg.

"the device itself emits insane amount of energy - few million watts - in a very short amount of time. since the impulse is so short, such devices can be built of relatively small size, the size of device can one can place on a table" said, the director of Physics institute of Ekaterinburg, academic Gennady Mesyaz. the new device can be a reason for a new scientific revolutionary progress in many industries. the primary use of course will be of military designation. the energy waves are so extremely powerful that they permanently disable all electronic devices in the near proximity, including computers and cellphones.



source: http://hitech.newsru.com/article/12sep2008/reactor

what do you guys think? can it be incorporated into some kind of smart bomb that would effectively wipe out all electronic devices in a certain city, for example? wouldnt that be huge?

[CtrlAltDe1337]

can it be incorporated into some kind of smart bomb that would effectively wipe out all electronic devices in a certain city, for example? wouldnt that be huge?

Already exists, but this new device definately looks cool.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

It looks like that thing from Batman Begins.

[Tiwaz]

It's applications are bit limited though.

Hardened systems can take such hit with ease, civilian systems are mainly at risk.

So this makes it more terror weapon than military weapon. You can't use it to shut down military operation, but you could during peacetime disrupt economy. Or try disturbing enemy home turf during war...

But then again, doing such terror strike would invite war... And doing so during war might not be as devastating since military most likely has already taken over most critical resources they will need.

[Panzerbear]

Hardened systems can take such hit with ease, civilian systems are mainly at risk.

define hardened? I dont think military communications are high-EMP proof.

[Sphere]

Seems to be just an electro-magnetic wave emitter. Otherwise known as a fancy flashlight.

It does not seem to be an "energy generator" of any sort.

[Tiwaz]

define hardened? I dont think military communications are high-EMP proof.

Hardened...
Simple solution? Faraday cage. Insulates whatever is inside from outside EMP. Within some reason...

Then, use of different materials. Instead of traditional semiconductors you use substances more resistant to EMP, might use substances with better tolerance, boron shielding of electronics, use of SRAM instead of DRAM... All kinds of stuff.

That is why there is military grade stuff and regular electronics.

Did you think armies were not doing everything they can to prevent being reduced to smoke signals and carrier pidgeons in case of nuclear war?

[whhyy]

So this makes it more terror weapon than military weapon. You can't use it to shut down military operation, but you could during peacetime disrupt economy. Or try disturbing enemy home turf during war...

I would imagine it would be effect against terrorists then?

[Tiwaz]

I would imagine it would be effect against terrorists then?

Not really. If you know that well where those "terrorists" are, why you want to just shut down them mobile phones?

[dwringer]

Not really. If you know that well where those "terrorists" are, why you want to just shut down them mobile phones?

Haha, I'm pretty sure that's no challenge whatsoever considering the way cell phones work.

They even make localized cell phone jammers now that don't require the entire grid to be taken offline.

Not to mention god-knows-what-kind-of-classified satellites that are currently flying over places like Iraq.

[Andrew87]

So it emits a powerfull EMP.

It's already been done by the US I think, but this one looks like it's from a terminator movie.

[Mithie]

Would make for a pretty awesome strobe light in a night club.

[Valentin the II]

The Russians invent a revolutionary energy emitor and emediately start figuring out how to turn it into a weapon. How typical.
How about bettering mankind, or atleast making some money? Eh?

Anyway, some more scientific details would be apriciated.

[Ishoss]

The Russians invent a revolutionary energy emitor and emediately start figuring out how to turn it into a weapon. How typical.
How about bettering mankind, or atleast making some money? Eh?

Anyway, some more scientific details would be apriciated.

It can project that energy for long therefor it's pretty much useless for civilian purposes. Unless you find a carrier for that energy, of course, like hydrogen.

If I've understood their invention correctly. :hmmm:

[Panzerbear]

The Russians invent a revolutionary energy emitor and emediately start figuring out how to turn it into a weapon. How typical. .

the vast majority of technological breakthrough is going towards military first, as usual. this has been true for majority of the countries, and sure as hell for Unites States.

[Valentin the II]

the vast majority of technological breakthrough is going towards military first, as usual. this has been true for majority of the countries, and sure as hell for Unites States.

Reguardless of what the US does, its still a huge waste of time, resources and brainpower.

[Panzerbear]

Reguardless of what the US does, its still a huge waste of time, resources and brainpower.

not true. majority of high tech stuff goes to the military first and then gets adopted for civilian use later. you'd be surprised, but lots of things that everyone owns used to be initially developed for the military use.

by far the easiest examples that come to my mind are GPS and night vision. is that waste of resoucres and brainpower? and how about the damn internet ?

[Mithie]

The Russians invent a revolutionary energy emitor and emediately start figuring out how to turn it into a weapon. How typical.

What came first; the nuclear reactor, or the atomic bomb?

[roy34543]

this doesnt actually GENERATE energy though does it? I mean it would be useful if it could actually replace a nuclear reactor rather then just emit the same power as one.

[ajm317]

this doesnt actually GENERATE energy though does it? I mean it would be useful if it could actually replace a nuclear reactor rather then just emit the same power as one.

There's no way of telling what it does from the brief description .Czar provided. The link is in Russian. I did a Google search on Gennady Mesyaz, and turned up this thread as the first hit. My impression is that no, it does not actually generate energy but rather takes energy from some source (say the grid, or a battery) and emits that in the form of EM radiation at very high power for a very short period of time.