EXHIBIT 99.1

        AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION APPOINTS SENIOR EXECUTIVE TO LEAD
                             BUSINESS PRODUCT SALES

      LRAD(TM) Proving to be a Breakthrough Technology for Force Protection

(SAN DIEGO,  CALIFORNIA - December 10, 2003)  -American  Technology  Corporation
(NASDAQ:  ATCO) (ATC)  announced  today the  appointment of Joseph A. Zerucha as
vice president of sales and marketing. Mr. Zerucha will be leading the Company's
Business   Products  and  Licensing   Group,   marketing  and  selling   HSS(R),
NeoPlanar(R)  and  PureBass(R)  sound products to companies that employ audio in
consumer, commercial and professional applications.

Zerucha has  extensive  corporate,  sales and  marketing  experience  serving in
corporate leadership positions at Tachyon, Inc. (chief operating officer), Clear
Channel  Communications  (division  president of NSN Network Services),  ViaSat,
Inc.  (director,  Worldwide Sales and Channel  Development)  and  ComViSat/Coded
Communications (chief executive officer and founder).

"Our commercial business requires experienced senior executive leadership," said
Kalani Jones, chief operating officer of American Technology  Corporation.  "Joe
has an  impressive  senior  executive  background  that  includes  driving  five
consecutive  years of 30 - 50% annual sales growth at ViaSat and  completing the
build-out  of a new  industry-  leading  audio  distribution  platform  at Clear
Channel.  His sales and marketing  skills  complement a new ATC management  team
experienced in successfully bringing ground-breaking technologies,  like HSS and
LRAD, to market."

"ATC's proprietary suite of audio technologies is impressive," said Zerucha.  "I
look  forward to working  with Kalani and the rest of ATC's  management  team in
growing the market for HSS, NeoPlanar and PureBass."

The Company  recently  organized  sales and marketing  into two divisions due to
increasing  government/military  business.  Carl  Gruenler,  vice  president  of
Military and  Government  Operations,  heads the Company's  Government and Force
Protection  Group.  This group is tasked  with  expanding  the force  protection
market and selling LRAD,  NeoPlanar and HSS products to government  and military
customers.

Global  interest in the  Company's  Long Range  Acoustic  Device (LRAD) has been
increasing  rapidly.  LRAD was  developed  with  the  release  of  Naval  Vessel
Protection Zone  requirements to enforce a 500-yard  exclusion zone and 100-yard
protection zone. These requirements were instituted as a result of the attack on
the USS Cole. LRAD is a breakthrough technology to clearly communicate at ranges
in excess of 500 yards with a warning  tone in the same  device  that can change
behavior.   The  Company  believes  favorable  customer   acceptance  of  recent
installations  is proving LRAD's value for stand off  communications,  shipboard
and shore/waterside protection and use in land-based installations and vehicles.

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;  PureBass(R)  Sub-Woofer  Technology;  LRAD(TM) (Long Range Acoustic
Device) and SFT(R) (Stratified Field(R) Technology.  The Company is establishing
a strong portfolio of patents,  trademarks, and know-how including over 138 U.S.
and Foreign  patents and patent  filings to date.  For more  information  on the
Company and its technologies and products please visit the Company's web site at
www.atcsd.com.





Safe Harbor  statement  under the Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of
1995:  This  document  contains  forward-looking  statements  relating to future
transactions,  performance,  technology and product development which may affect
future results and the future viability of the Company.  Actual results could be
affected  or differ  materially  from  those  projected  in the  forward-looking
statements as a result of risks and uncertainties,  including the ability of the
Company  to  continue  as a  going  concern,  development  of  future  products,
technological  shifts,  potential  technical or manufacturing  difficulties that
could  delay  new  products,  competition,  general  economic  factors,  pricing
pressures,  the uncertainty of market acceptance of new products and services by
OEMs and end-user  customers,  and other factors identified and discussed in the
Company's most recent 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 by it.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Investor relations:
Robert Putnam
(858) 679-3168
robert@atcsd.com

Media inquiries:
Don Mathias
(949) 855-4520
dwmath@aol.com