Personalized Smart Guns That Could Reduce Accidents Might Be Coming To The US
In a time when gun safety remains a concern, a market of firearms claiming to prevent unintentional usage might be on the horizon. Smart guns, which can only be fired after verification from their owners or authorized users, are being tested by law enforcers in the US and are awaiting commercial sale.
According to a report by Reuters, there are at least two firms in the country that are producing these. Idaho-based LodeStar Works is equipping 9mm handguns with fingerprint recognition and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, while Kansas-based SmartGunz LLC has built an RFID-enabled version that it says is being beta-tested by law enforcement agents.
Per the Giffords Law Center, via USA Today, smart guns can be enabled via RFID tokens, which include wearable devices like watches and bracelets that activate accompanying technology within close proximities; or through biometric recognition, which detects the user via their fingerprint or palm print.
The layer of authentication aims to prevent accidental firings and the possibility of the guns being used by the wrong hands. When an unauthorized user is detected, the smart gun could even be disabled.
LodeStar, who conducted a test firing for Reuters without encountering issues, uses a primary fingerprint reader and a PIN pad for its guns. While the former technology unlocks the firearm in microseconds, it doesn’t work as well when the gun is wet, so the PIN pad will step in as its backup. It also features an RFID chip that can be activated through the user’s smartphone.
The two companies are hoping to bring their smart guns to market this year, with LodeStar’s version being priced at US$895 and the SmartGunz gun costing US$1,795 for law enforcement agents and US$2,195 for civilians.
Critics, however, question smart guns’ ability to respond quickly during emergencies, especially during life-and-death situations, since the verification step might delay firings.
[via USA Today and Reuters, cover photo 121014132 © Jaroslava Krahulcova | Dreamstime.com]
