Mr. McCormick founded a British company that manufactured the ADE-651, a bomb detector that doesn’t need any form of battery to be powered. By harnessing the kinetic energy directly from humans, the mere holding of the device powers the ADE-651. The bomb detector claims to work in the same way that a dowsing or divining rod for water functions. Every type of bomb has a specific frequency, identified by a number of cards that supposedly carries a signature which the bomb detector can find by matching its frequency.

The problem is, the whole set up is a fake. The ADE-651 is nothing more than a glorified divining rod. Upon opening the cards, as this seems to be the heart of the product, it became apparent that no data can be stored in these regular grocery store grade security cards.

The disturbing part is obvious: this isn’t as simple as con-artistry. The bomb detector has been exported in bulk to the Iraqui government and deployed in checkpoints. The cost is more than USD $53 million with the government paying up to USD $60,000 per device whereas the regular selling price is pegged at USD $18,500. There have been more than three explosions from bombs that made it through the checkpoints since 2008 and the casualties in infrastructure and human life are great.

What a farce. How inhuman. It’s things like this that really piss me off. While people are dying, McCormick bought a new Prsche Cayenne.

[BBC]