Believe it or not, devices used to see through walls are far from revolutionary. Reportedly, Physical Optics Corporation has concocted a prototype gun that utilizes the same method of viewing that a lobster does to see what’s ahead in murky waters. The LEXID (Lobster Eye X-ray Imaging Device) functions by “radiating objects with tiny amounts of X-ray energy,” subsequently allowing its user to see behind steel, wood or concrete. According to David Throckmorton, a project manager in Homeland Security’s Science and Technology division, the resulting images are beamed on a small screen and aren’t exactly drool-worthy, but they do allow one to make out a stash of weapons or a crouching enemy.

The price is unknown as it’s still a prototype, but the creators hope to make it cheap enough for exterminators and contractors to purchase and use. Note, the capability of seeing through walls is not necessarily just for use on weapons. It’s got some useful commercial applications such as pest control, where it can be built into a gun for shooting pesticide instead of a bullet. For the Customs and Border official, no doubt, there are equally varying applications of use. One could just imagine students getting into all sorts of trouble if one of these floated into the locker room.