This Speechjammer device seems to be a pretty nifty little technological undertaking. Two scientists at Japanese universities, Kazutaka Kurihara and Koji Tsukada, developed a way to create an audio loop of a persons speech directed right back at them on a 0.2 second delay. Turns out that when you hear your own words on such a short turnaround it baffles the brain and shuts you down. The practical implications are still a bit unclear but you can imagine it being put into use in theatres, libraries or other such places where quiet is of the absolute importance.

via Kate.