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OT - ATCO News.

American Technology Corporation's Long Range Acoustic Device --LRAD -- Supports Armed Services and Homeland Security Initiatives LRAD(TM) Expected to Play Key Role in Low Intensity Conflicts and Military Operations Other than War


SAN DIEGO, Mar 17, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- American Technology Corporation
(ATC) (Nasdaq: ATCO) announced today that its Long Range Acoustic Device
(LRAD(TM)) is becoming increasingly sought after by military and government
agencies because of its ability to be highly directional while effectively
transmitting both voice and tone over long distances.

ATC's proprietary and patent-pending LRAD is a highly directional long range
hailing and warning device that communicates clearly in a narrow beam at greater
than 500 yards over water and 300 yards over land. LRAD supports the efforts of
the armed services and Homeland Security agencies to defuse potentially hostile
or dangerous situations by communicating voice instructions, plus reinforcing
them and influencing behavior with a highly irritating warning tone. LRADs are
being employed to determine the intent of an individual or individuals
approaching members of the armed forces and the installations, assets or
vehicles guarded/operated by them.

LRAD is safe when used properly, to both those in the beam and the operator.
LRAD has been evaluated by an independent test lab, field tested, with
operational practice set to perform within the guidelines of National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH,
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/98-126a.html, and scroll down to Table 1-1) for
combined noise exposure source levels and durations. It has been erroneously
reported in some media that LRAD can produce 145dB at 300 yards. At 300 yards,
LRAD's highest sustained source level, the warning tone, is 105dB (or about the
same level as stereo headphones at high volume). Verbal messages have a lower dB
level based on the acoustic characteristics of the device. The oscillating and
piercing LRAD warning tone is designed to be very annoying (similar to the
effect of a very loud smoke detector).

LRAD's source level is scalable for different situations through the use of a
volume control dial. It is electronically limited to 120 dB at 1 meter from the
device in normal operations (about the intensity of a police car siren), with an
override key to allow higher dB levels (up to 146 dB sustained at 1 meter from
the device, or about the source level intensity of an air raid siren). The
higher intensity may be needed for longer ranges and high ambient noise
situations as decided by the commander in the field.

Carl Gruenler, ATC's vice president of military and government operations,
remarked, "LRAD puts distance between a potential threat and our troops that
hopefully will save lives on both sides of the device. LRAD provides a means to
more safely address the difficult missions of waterside force protection against
small boat threats (supporting the effort to prevent another USS Cole-type
attack that killed 17 sailors and took a billion-dollar warship out of service
for over a year at an enormous repair cost), crowd control, area denial of
personnel including check point operations, and clearing buildings."

Gruenler concluded, "The new warfighter/peackeeper role for our troops is
dangerous. Our service men and women cannot be expected to defuse tense human
situations and minimize injury or loss of life without the ability to clearly
communicate, effectively and with authority, at safe distances. We believe LRAD
provides the enhanced capability needed in situations where we put our service
men and women at risk in keeping and winning the peace in low intensity
conflicts and military operations other than war."

For more information on LRAD, go to: http://www.atcsd.com/pdf/LRAD.pdf

About American Technology Corporation

American Technology Corporation is Shaping the Future of Sound(R) by developing
and licensing its technology and intellectual property portfolio which includes:
the award-winning HSS(R) (HyperSonic(R) Sound Technology); NeoPlanar(R)
Technology; LRAD(TM) (Long Range Acoustic Device); HIDA(TM) (High Intensity
Directed Acoustics), PureBass(R) Sub-Woofer Technology; and Stratified Field(R)
Technology (SFT(R)). The Company is establishing a strong portfolio of patents,
trademarks and intellectual property including over 140 U.S. and foreign patents
and patent filings to date. For more information on the company and its
technologies and products please visit our web site at www.atcsd.com.

Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed
are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act. You should not place undue reliance on these
statements. We base these statements on particular assumptions that we have made
in light of our industry experience, the stage of product and market development
as well as our perception of historical trends, current market conditions,
current economic data, expected future developments and other factors that we
believe are appropriate under the circumstances. These statements involve risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those suggested in the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to
changes in the sound reproduction industry, our ability to develop future
products, technology shifts, potential technical or manufacturing difficulties
that could delay products, competition, pricing pressures, the uncertainty of
market acceptance of new products and services by customers, warranty or other
claims, the outcome of pending or future litigation, general economic factors
and other risks identified and discussed in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based
on information and management's expectations as of the date hereof. Future
results may differ materially from the Company's current expectations. American
Technology Corporation disclaims any intent or obligation to update those
forward-looking statements, except as otherwise specifically stated.

Editors Note: LRAD is a trademark of American Technology Corporation.

SOURCE: American Technology Corporation