Lil' ears and big ears

Guns Magazine, Sept, 2004 by Barrett Tillman

If you've ever heard the ref's call at a football game, you know about acoustic enhancement. The technology has existed for more than a decade: A tightly focused cone for receiving audio inputs from a distance. The equipment for sporting events, including the hushed atmosphere of golf courses, is relatively cheap. A typical unit runs around $1,500. But that was then--this is now.

Cutting-edge sound detection for law enforcement or emergency use runs from $5,000 to $7,000, says Jack Redman of Sound & Optics Systems, a security firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. SOS consults, distributes and sells Big and Lil' Ears "parabolic listening devices." The hemisphere-shaped bowl is made of a patented composite material designed for optimum sound transference. Including a directional microphone, the system is approximately 25 times more sensitive than most human ears. Depending upon whether Big or Lil' Ears are employed, a voice can be heard and understood at distances from 350 to 500 feet.

Either system is highly portable, weighing barely five pounds. A MilSpec control box with AA batteries fits on the user's belt, with a flat battery powering the aiming laser. The electorate sighting system is more accurate for fine-tuning surveillance, especially in a crowd. With tire laser, operators have the ability to focus the mike onto the "sweet spot" of a voice for maximum clarity. However, in most circumstances the "ghost ring" circular sight is adequate.

Ambient noise can interfere with listening in some environments. During our initial trials at an indoor shooting range, the air conditioning system directly over the microphone reduced the distances at which normal speaking voices were understood. Outside, on the street, ordinary traffic noise is less of a concern depending on specific location and type of vehicles.

Police Use

Because the system is wholly passive, it's well suited to covert surveillance. However, the capability raises some legal concerns SOS addresses with potential clients. Company president Terry Steffey says, "We are aware of possible Fourth Amendment concerns. We tell our customers that surveillance use is only intended for incidents involving specific threats to human life." Naturally, use of the equipment is difficult or impossible to monitor once in the hands of the end-user, but the fact that Sound & Optics discusses the topic speaks well of its corporate philosophy.

The system offers multiple options in hostage situations. Distant surveillance can be conducted from hundreds of feel away, listening to suspect's conversations through single-pane windows and several types of walls. If operators me able to place a dish flush against a wall, whispers can be discerned. The flip side of hostage surveillance is twoway communication. When contact is established with the captors, ordinary conversations can be conducted without resorting to phones.

An emerging law enforcement use is mounting Lil' Ears on patrol cars. Whether the unit is secured to the light bar or a spotlight, it can be directed at a suspect vehicle, listening for indication of disposal of evidence. The same applies to potentially high-risk traffic stops.

An unintended benefit of the composite-material dish is ballistic protection. "It's not as good as a SWAT shield," says Redman, "but it will stop or deflect some handgun bullets."

Search and Rescue

Trauma centers have long known about "the golden hour" between an incident and initial treatment, Survival rates increase accordingly: quicker treatment naturally translates into better recovery figures. But in a major disaster such as a building collapse or a landslide, the 60 minutes can lick away with alarming speed. Toward that end, some fire departments have conducted live tests, placing volunteers inside a large sector of rubble, sometimes with breathing apparatus while actual fires are set. "It can take an average of 40 minutes to find a 'victim' by usual methods," Steffey explains. "But the first time we tried it with Lil' Ears, we located the 'victim' in 15 seconds."

Rescue use of the system is not limited to urban areas. One of the biggest problems in wilderness or desert terrain is the tendency of lost hikers to keep moving. Redman grins. "If people would just stay put like the Boy Scout manual tells them, things would be a lot easier." But Big Ears enables searchers to listen for calls for help or even footsteps, especially in the dark. Big Ears already have been used in actual rescues, including a mine collapse in the U.S., Iran mudslides and Mexican earthquakes.

If you find yourself lost somewhere, stay put, stay calm and shout for help. Big Ears may be waiting to come find you.

Sound and Optics Systems; (800) 605-2782;

www.sos-corp.com.