It can break up concrete 6 inches thick. This rapidly compressed helium drives the projectiles. Mano Subudhi, Brookhaven's principal investigator on the project, said the device is expected to be at least 25 percent faster than the jackhammer, as well as safer and more worker-friendly. Since it will be quiet enough to use at night, it is expected to decrease traffic congestion during the day.
Conventional jackhammers run on air supplied by a compressor, which runs on gasoline or diesel fuel.
GRI holds the license to the technology and projects that the new technology will be marketed within a year.