A mute button for people? 'Speech jamming gun' that stops people talking by freezing the brain

• The gadget fires a speaker's words back to them causing them to stutter and then stop talking

• 'Delayed Auditory Feedback' works because the brain does not like hearing the echo of the human voice

• Research has found it works best during a speech, making it ideal for shutting up unpopular politicians

By Martin Robinson

Last updated at 10:18 AM on 2nd March 2012

It is a new gadget that could be straight out of George Orwell's 1984.

Japanese researchers have invented the ultimate conversation killer and instrument of control - a machine that can shut someone up at will.

Kazutaka Kurihara and Koji Tsukada have built a gun they call the 'Speech Jammer', which could be ideal for an unruly classroom or noisy library.

It forces individuals into 'vocal submission', they say, and is accurate when fired from up to 30 metres away.

FULL STORY: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2109137/A-mute-butto...