In his epochal 1965 novel Dune, Frank Herbert created a world in which
advanced technolgy existed side-by-side with a feudal political system.
Various groups vied for power in different ways; one group, the Bene
Gesserit, tested its members with a special device.
Paul slowly put his hand into the box. He first felt a sense of cold as
the blackness closed around his hand, then slick metal against his
fingers and a prickling as though his hand were asleep.
"What's in the box?"
"Pain." He felt increased tingling in his hand, pressed his lips tightly
together. How could this be a test? he wondered. The tingling became an
itch... The itch became the faintest burning... It mounted slowly: heat
upon heat upon heat... .
The burning! The burning! He thought he could feel skin curling black on
that agonized hand, the flesh crisping and dropping away until only
charred bones remained.
It stopped! As though a switch had been turned off, the pain stopped...
"Take your hand from the box, young human, and look at it."
He fought down an aching shiver, stared at the lightless void where his
hand seemed to remain of its own volition. Memory of pain inhibited
every movement. Reason told him he would withdraw a blackened stump from
that box. "Do it!" she snapped.
He jerked his hand from the box, stared at it astonished. Not a mark. No
sign of agony on the flesh. He held up the hand, turned it, flexed the
fingers. "Pain by nerve induction," she said. "Can't go around maiming
potential humans. There're those who'd give a pretty for the secret of
this box, though."
Raytheon has unwittingly created the pain box (also called the agony box
in later books) as a demonstration device for its directed energy
system, which uses 95 GHz electromagnetic radiation to excite water
molecules in the outer skin to about 130 degrees Fahrenheit. An intense
burning sensation is created, but it does no permanent damage.
Here's how a reporter describes what it feels like:
"Where do I put my finger? There ... OK? Nothing's happening ... is it
on?"
"Yes, it's on. Move your finger a bit closer."
"Er ... ow! OW!" Not good. I try again. "OWWW!" I pull my hand away
sharpish. My finger is throbbing, but seems undamaged.
For pictures and links go to
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=1202
Terry
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