War is hell on your ears. The thuds of artillery, choppers overhead, screams, constant gunfire – it’s a sensory nightmare. So how do you get ready for this sonic brutality? Desensitise yourself in this extremely sophisticated audio war simulator. Kaboom.
The soundstage, created by and located at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, uses 64 surround speakers to subject recruits to an audio pummelling: tanks, guns, helicopters – all moving around you as if you were actually there (although limited to a federally capped 100 decibels). It’s safe for up to two hours, during which soldiers drill in full gear. The hope is that once they arrive in a real battlefield, they’ll have some idea of what to expect. But of course, there’s nothing like the real thing. [Danger Room]