Doc 0000184358
CIA
This CIA document from May 1951 discusses a new oscilloscopic device with a high-fidelity tape recorder, suggesting potential applications for intelligence and security work, including identification and security checks, and requests an examination and testing of the equipment.
This is one record. The archive holds the rest — ask it anything across the MKUltra files and every answer is cited to the page.
Ask the archive about this →23 Hay 1951 .. ~ ... TO VIA -·· •J FROM SUBJECT Reference is made to your informal memorandum of 1h Hay 1951, and at.tached documents concerning a ne;r type of oscilloscopic device with extremely high fidelity tape recorder~ -alft fJ-Ja.nd the writer feel thnt such a device may be of con siderable interest both to general I & SO work and to speci~l Bluebird interests. It is also.felt that it may be of value to agency field units~ It is therefore reque stcd that arrangements be made as soon as .... possible for~ and the writer to ex8mine and test this machine lee ally if one, is available or if not obtain from .~~acturer complete ..d operational and technical details for our study.~JIMIIIII is of the 'f opinion that this equipment will be qui.te bulky and very expensive and thorough investigation should be made before committing ourselves to purchase • .. For your consideration and based upon the meager information furnished us concerning the osciJ.loscopic device, we have set out below se>eral possible (and va1uable) uses to W'ich the device could be employed if found to be practical and operationally sound: lo It could be used for very high level identification H:- 0 ~·· . s.r. 2. It could be possibly used for testing identification under 3. It possibly could be used on a large scale as a security check using given code words or phrases. U Bluebird is always interested in very high fidelity tape or o other type recorders. 5. It may possibly be of extreme value in deterillinj ng key sounds s.r. or key words made by human voice in techniques. - · ... ·. ..... -~~ •. .... ' . · . , .
The page features the title "THE BLACK VAULT" in large, stylized lettering, accompanied by an image of a vault door with intricate mechanisms and a glowing blue accent. Below the title, white text explains that the document is from an online database of declassified government documents, specifically the MKULTRA/Mind Control Collection, housing over 20,000 pages declassified by the CIA. A bright yellow URL, "http://mkultra.theblackvault.com," is provided for downloading the collection. There are no photographs, handwritten annotations, stamps, forms, diagrams, tables, redactions, or visual evidence of experimental procedures, equipment, or facilities on this specific page.
The document is a typed memorandum with several handwritten annotations. A large, dark redaction dominates the top right corner and extends to the left, partially obscuring the heading. Another significant redaction is present in the top left, obscuring a recipient's name under "TO" and the sender's name under "FROM." Additionally, there are smaller handwritten markings, including the code "A/3,1,44/6" at the top and several "A" marks in the margins next to paragraphs, suggesting review or emphasis. The document contains a numbered list of potential uses for an "oscilloscopic device." Redactions also obscure portions of the main text, specifically names and potentially sensitive details.
Original source: view the released document