Nerve induction is a theoretical method of creating a sensation by stimulation of the sensory nerves rather than by actual stimulus.
The concept is mentioned in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert as a method to inflict pain with no actual injury.
No known real-life analogues currently exist. However, a number of non-lethal pain compliance devices have been developed. The most reminiscent of Herbert's fictional device is the microwave-based Active Denial System, which shows many of the same traits, but uses microwaves rather than nerve induction. Other similar devices include Long Range Acoustic Devices which use painful directed sound waves, and electroshock weapons such as Tasers, which deliver an incapacitating shock to the nervous system.
Famous quotes containing the words nerve and/or induction:
“Tom: All right, boys. C’mon. Why don’t you say I’m a yellow belly and a big mouth at that?
Shep: You yellow? Who thinks you’re yellow? Did you hear what he said? A guy who’s got the nerve to marry? That’s more than Flash Gordon ever did.”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)
“One might get the impression that I recommend a new methodology which replaces induction by counterinduction and uses a multiplicity of theories, metaphysical views, fairy tales, instead of the customary pair theory/observation. This impression would certainly be mistaken. My intention is not to replace one set of general rules by another such set: my intention is rather to convince the reader that all methodologies, even the most obvious ones, have their limits.”
—Paul Feyerabend (1924–1994)