Dr. Jürgen Altmann studied physics and did a doctoral dissertation on laser radar (University of Hamburg, Germany, 1980). After research work in computer pattern recognition, since 1985 he has studied scientific-technical problems of disarmament, first concerning high-energy laser weapons, then European ballistic-missile defence. In 1988 he founded the Bochum Verification Project (Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany) that does research into the potential of automatic sensor systems for co-operative verification of disarmament and peace agreements. Experiments and evaluations dealt with acoustic, seismic, and magnetic signals from tanks, trucks, and military aircraft. Prospective assessment of new military technologies and analysis of preventive arms control measures form another focus of his work. One area is non-lethal weapons, with a major study of acoustic weapons. Another project looked at the interactions between civilian and military technologies in aviation research and development.
In recent years, he has studied military uses of, first, microsystems technologies and then nanotechnology, with a view towards preventive arms control (both at University of Dortmund, Germany). At present, he has started a project analysing potential new, physics-based technologies for non-lethal weapons (also at University of Dortmund). He is a co-founder of the German Research Association Science, Disarmament and International Security FONAS, and currently is a deputy speaker of the Committee Physics and Disarmament of the German Physical Society DPG.
http://www.ep3.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/bvp
appearance at Tuned City
public and private soundscapes / 03.07.08