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Details on Taser's XREP electric shotgun shell emerge
We first saw Taser's XREP Extended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile shotgun shell when it was demoed to the military a little more than a year ago, and with the shells about to go into field testing, some more information is starting to come out. XREP projectiles fire out of a standard 12-gauge shotgun, deploying three fins for stability while they fly toward the target. Once they hit, the four barbs on the tip deliver enough juice to drop the unfortunate victim for about 20 seconds -- and if the perp tries to grap at the projectile and pull it off himself, the XREP's reflex engagement electrodes discharge through his hand, causing "overpowering Neuro Muscular Incapacitation." Field testing is expected to go on for six months to a year starting this fall -- would-be rioters had better get their kicks in soon.Read - Taser XREP product pageWatch - Taser XREP promo video
iRobot and Taser to produce (non)lethal bots
Another day, another step towards the inevitable robotic resistance: iRobot and Taser announced plans today to collaborate on weapons-capable bots. The first model off the line will be the venerable Packbot Explorer, fitted with a Taser X26 stun gun, to be sold to police departments and the Pentagon. No plans are being made to develop robots capable of inflicting lethal force, according to the two companies, but given Taser's somewhat spotty reputation and the obvious demands of the military, we're beginning to trust our Roomba even less than before.
Police fatally taser gasoline-soaked suspect
As we've reported before, tasers might not be as safe as their makers like to claim. Juan Flores Lopez, a Texas man who had doused himself in gasoline, became the latest unfortunate taser-related casuality when police used the stun device (which sometimes emit sparks) during his arrest. "We don't know what ignited the fire," perplexed officers admitted. The case is currently being investigated by the Texas Rangers.[Via Digg]
"Anti-violence" electrode shock gun brings the (non-lethal) pain
Although we've seen a variety of different non-lethal weapons come and go, all that choice has led to a dilemma for the riot-trooper on the go: what to pick? Skunkbombs? The laser rifle? The Taser shotgun? Techwise is hoping to eliminate all that decision-making with their "anti-violence" electrode shock gun -- a pistol-shaped not-a-weapon which accommodates cartridges for virtually every type of non-lethal force you can imagine: a 30KV pulse charge that can incapacitate a person up to 3 meters away, rubber bullets, paint capsules for marking offenders in a crowd, an "electric stick" stun gun mode, and a pepper cartridge, which Techwise claims causes extreme discomfort at up to 5 meters. Our favorite, though, has got to be the ultra-bright Xenon light used for "giddying," or assaulting a person's senses to make them dizzy and lightheaded -- something that sounds to us like they expect you to run up to the bad guys and shine a flashlight in their eyes. We'll stick with the pain gun, if you don't mind.[Via RedFerret]
Louisiana sheriff adds camcorders to taser lineup
Sure, it'd be ideal if taser-equipped police bots could clean up our streets without any human interaction whatsoever, but since we're not quite there yet, a Louisiana sheriff is upgrading his staff's lineup of Taser X26 stun guns with integrated camcorders. All 681 of the branch's devices are receiving a diminutive camera installation, which starts rolling the moment an officer switches off the safety and gets ready for action. We've certainly heard the critics who proclaim that taser guns aren't as safe as we're led to believe, and in Jefferson Parish alone a number of individuals have died after getting jolted by one. The move is being made to help protect citizens from unnecessary enforcements and to safeguard the force from illegitimate "police brutality claims," and each camera is designed to record up to 1.5 hours of monochrome footage regardless of the lighting situation. While we hope you never have to encounter one of these tasercams yourself, we imagine that Cops is already offering up big bucks to get ahold of this up close and personal footage, so you've probably got a surefire way to grab your 15 minutes if you're really that desperate.
Taser International unveils Taser C2 Personal Protector
While we've yet to hear of any mishaps or hijinks, the folks at Taser International are apparently braving the crowds at CES to show off their latest bit of non-lethal weaponry, the Taser C2 Personal Protector. Available in your choice of black, silver, blue, or pink, the C2 has a range of up to 15 feet for long-range attacks and can also be used as a contact stun device if you fail to get the jump on your attacker. Those looking to trick out their Taser beyond the basics can also opt for a model with an integrated laser sight, although many of the other options available on higher-end Tasers, like the Taser Cam interface, have been eliminated from the C2 to keep costs down, with the base model starting at just $299. According to Taser, you should be able to get your hands on one sometime this April, though you'll have to wait 'till you complete a background check before they'll give you the code to activate it. [Thanks, Richard D]
Super Taser sports extra electrode for double the fun
Nothing get us going in the morning like a good tasering to the torso, but sometimes when we're getting our crime on during the winter months, it takes the cops two or three shots to penetrate our bulky Starter jackets. Well Taser International is fully aware of this problem -- apparently it happens not only with layered clothing but furry animals as well -- and has been furiously conducting government-sponsored R&D so that even the most padded criminal or woolliest feral cat can be dropped with just one round. To accomplish this lofty goal, experts in "non-lethal" weaponry have developed a projectile that, unlike traditional models, contains electrodes on both ends; if the first shock isn't enough to make the target lose control of his/her muscles and bodily functions, he/she will instinctively grab (or in the case of a malicious squirrel, bite) the barbs and try to remove them -- resulting in a second, unprotected shock from the electrode at the other end. Very clever stuff, really; there's nothing like turning people's own instincts against them in order to ensure compliance. We'll report back on the effects after we get stunned with one of these new devices for the first time, although if you're the type who prefers to pull off your capers without getting electrocuted, we suggest that you start wearing some thick ski gloves on your heists as well.
Long-range stun guns en route
We got a bit of a jolt out of the idea of a new longer range stun gun, as apparently inventors are hard at work on a 40-kilovolt shocker capable of reducing a subject as far off off as 450 feet to a mass of quivering child-like state. Unlike tethered Tasers that stick someone close up with wires, this new type of debilitating nonlethal weapon fires off a small dart that detonates piezeoelectric materials on impact, triggering a massive electric reaction, and thusly taking down -- but not out -- the target. It's really no mystery to us that a device like that's going to build a lot of buzz. (Sorry, had to!)
