Innovative Flash-bang Using Piezoelectric Transformers

Commonly known to the military and law enforcement personnel, flash-bangs are grenade-like devices that produce a bright flash of light combined with a loud acoustic wave which is meant to momentarily incapacitate (startle) an enemy. The flash and bangare traditionally generated by a single explosion using pyrotechnics contained within the device. While effective at temporarily disabling the opponent, these devices do have some drawbacks. First, the explosion creates a lot of smoke, which can obscurethe situation from the soldier as well, and delay situational control. Second, the flame used to initiate the detonation poses an unneeded risk of fire and injury to soldiers and non-combatants.Mid¿ is proposing an innovative flash-bang device thatutilizes the high voltage energy conversion capability of piezoelectric transformers, rather than pyrotechnics or explosives. These transformers output high voltage electricity that can be harnessed to provide appropriate flash and bang events by poweringdiscrete visual and auditory devices, or by creating repeated plasma arcing (sparks). By leveraging the repeating and programmable nature of this electrical device, next-generation flash-bangs will provide similar disabling effects, while eliminating thedrawbacks of conventional munitions. This novel flash-bang device will be a vital tool for momentarily incapacitating an enemy allowing the user to gain control of a situation. Advantages over conventional devices include the elimination of smoke and firewhich delay situational authority and pose health risk to friendly personnel, repeatability in producing multiple events over a period of several seconds, flexibility for the user to select optimal operating parameters (event frequency, duration,intensity), and recoverability since the device will not destroy itself during operation. Several government agencies could directly benefit from the device, including law enforcement, the Department of Corrections, and many branches of the military.