FAIRFAX, Va. — Two George Mason (Va.) University students have designed a device that uses sound waves to put out fires.
WUSA9.com reported that creators Seth Robertson and Viet Tran’s wave extinguisher douses burning rubbing alcohol with just its rumbling bass note.
Using $600 of equipment including amps, a speaker and something they call a collimater, the students starve the flame of oxygen, causing it to go out, according to the report.
Sound in the 30 to 60 hertz range seems to vibrate the oxygen away from the fuel, effectively suffocating the fire, according to the report. So far they’ve just used it on small alcohol fires, but a local fire department is offering to test it on a structure fire.