"Smart" Guns hit shelves in California...

[Lost_Count]

One of California’s largest firearm stores recently added a peculiar new gun to its shelves. It requires an accessory: a black waterproof watch.



The watch’s primary purpose is not to provide accurate time, though it does. The watch makes the gun think. Electronic chips inside the gun and the watch communicate with each other. If the watch is within close reach of the gun, a light on the grip turns green. Fire away. No watch means no green light. The gun becomes a paperweight.



The Armatix Smart System consists of a pistol and a watch that controls gun access and use. The gun will only fire if it is within range of this watch.

A dream of gun-control advocates for decades, the Armatix iP1 is the country’s first smart gun. Its introduction is seen as a landmark in efforts to reduce gun violence, suicides and accidental shootings. Proponents compare smart guns to automobile air bags — a transformative add-on that gun owners will demand. But gun rights advocates are already balking, wondering what happens if the technology fails just as an intruder breaks in.

James Mitchell, the “extremely pro-gun” owner of the Oak Tree Gun Club, north of Los Angeles, isn’t one of the skeptics. His club’s firearms shop is the only outlet in the country selling the iP1. “It could revolutionize the gun industry,” Mitchell declared.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/we-need-the-iphone-of-guns-will-smart-guns-transform-the-gun-industry/2014/02/17/6ebe76da-8f58-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html

_______________________________________________

Interesting that the technology is starting to hit the market. I am skeptical that it will catch on but who knows.

Side note : I think that this article relates more to technology and safety but I leave it to the inevitable alert

[hooptie]

1. What a great marketing campaign they could have.

Armatix Smart System
When the batteries die, so do you!

[oneshooter]

2. When the PD of all major cities in the US adopt it, then maybe. n/t

[Lost_Count]

3. Not likely...

No incentive...

[petronius]

9. I imagine the manufacturer would argue that 'officer safety' would be the incentive

Is it not a topic of concern for LEOs, that a firearm might be taken in a scuffle and used against officers? If this works as advertised, it pretty much wipes out that concern, right?

[booley]

37. that does happen

Had a friend who was a cop who was killed by her own gun.

Have no idea if this invention would shave stopped that. But at least it's an attempt.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. It is getting tested by state patrols, NJ comes to mind

Oh and the ARMY no less is testing them too

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-us-army-is-now-field-testing-smart-rifles

[Duckhunter935]

6. I think that is a

totally different system only controlling the targeting of the round, although I might be wrong.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. It will also be part of the overall system they are testing for troops

The army is testing some shit that are pretty "sci fi" these days, including what could lead to power armor, and smart guns and smart ammunition. The navy is testing gauss weaponry.

(I follow this shit since damn I write sci fi, and it is starting to be harder to "stay ahead" of the deployed shit. That said, I don't think I got to worry too much about the FTL drive, but smart gunz, smart armor, rail guns... yup)

Oh and I should add, I would require this technology for all weapons for sale starting in five years, if I had my way. It will reduce accidents and shot with your gun by bad guy.

[petronius]

10. That's not the same thing as in the OP: TrackingPoint is about the scope and

increasing accuracy, it has nothing to do with limiting who can (or can't) fire the gun...

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. but this is

http://www.njit.edu/news/spotlight/2005/jan/index.php

And while NOT yet mated to the shooter, this is also called a Smart Gun, and deployed in the field

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/xm25-smart-gun-unveiled-by-us-military_n_789969.html

We will have to decide on definitions, but you get my point.

I follow this crap for more than just academic interest.

[petronius]

16. In your googling, did you come across any reports of a law enforcement agency

currently considering the adoption of technology such as described in the OP, or being mandated to do so? I haven't heard of any, myself (but then I don't spend much time following news about police practice and procedures).

It seems to me that access-control features would be very attractive to LE, as police (and security types) may run a risk of losing control of a firearm during a scuffle. When that community embraces this technology, it would seem to be a signal that it's maybe ready for prime time (and being offered as an option for everybody)...

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. New Jersey State Police to be specific

they have been field testing it for a while.

[petronius]

22. Do you have a link or links? I'd be very curious to read about their results and discussions,

and what the various opinions in the department(s) might be.

(The article above, about NJIT, seems to only describe a campus department helping with a research project, not an agency considering adoption, and I haven't seen any more current references to that 'dynamic grip' technology...)

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Used to have a handy link

this is new though. NJ and CA will move to smart tech for civilians

http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/361614-smart-guns-may-soon-be-handgun-norm-sold.htm

[rrneck]

4. Partisans on both sides of the technology aren't happy with it.

And consumers aren't going to be interested in an $1800 gun when something as good or better can be had for $500.

[Jenoch]

8. Comparing this 'smart' gun technology to

automobile airbags is ridiculous. Autimobiles wear out and are crushed. Most guns have an unlimited lifespan.

[VScott]

11. That didn't last long

Due to the backlash and negative response, Oak Tree Gun Club pulled the item from its shelves.

[gopiscrap]

20. welcome to DU

[In_The_Wind]

34. That's wonderful news. Welcome to DU, VScott.

[img][/img]

[SecularMotion]

13. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey wants to mandate use of "smart gun" personalization technology

DORCHESTER - U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, unveiled new gun control legislation on Wednesday, which he plans to introduce in the Senate.

Markey’s bill would require that all handguns sold in the U.S. include a personalization mechanism, ensuring that only an authorized user can shoot it.

“In the 21st century, we have to use advances in technology to our advantage and save lives,” Markey said.

U.S. Rep. John Tierney, a Massachusetts Democrat, has introduced a similar bill in the U.S. House.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/02/sen_ed_markey_wants_to_mandate.html

[Logical]

14. I think it will need a lot of proof to make people trust it. First time it stops a gun from firing..

when it is needed by a cop it will cause issues.

[rrneck]

15. And lawsuits. nt

[linuxman]

17. Seriously stupid.

$1800 for a shitty .22 with 10 round capacity, which requires a watch to be worn at all times for it to function, which has failure prone batteries, which has a visible LED on it, which looks like it belonged to Buck Rogers.

Sign me up!

I'll take a Ruger MkIII with a cable lock, thanks. $300.00, proven accuracy and reliability, doesn't look like something from Mars Attacks, and won't get me killed when the batteries die or the person breaking into my house sees the green LED. Come to think of it, my MkIII came with a cable lock.

If I had the cash, I'd totally buy this POS. In 20 years people are going to be paying a premium for it as an oddity. Like the Gyrojet or the Chauchat.

[kelliekat44]

18. Too bad we can't put "smart" chips inside the brains of gun owners. nt

[Bazinga]

21. I wish it were this easy.

Having a gun that only I could fire would be great, but not at the expense of reliability. There is only one important characteristic in a self-defense firearm and that's reliability. Accuracy, caliber, capacity, and ergonomics are all secondary to reliability.

The way you maintain that level of reliability is with very few, well-made mechanical parts. Electronics just don't cut it. I'm currently typing this response on a "smart" phone, and with all the trouble I've had with this thing, there's no way I'd ever bet my life on something electronic.

[DanTex]

23. The gun nuts aren't going to like this. In fact, they already don't like this, as I can see.

Part of the the whole philosophy is to be able to kill people anonymously. How can you do that if the gun can't be fired by anyone but the owner?

[LAGC]

24. Not to be a spoil-sport or anything...

But couldn't a thief simply steal the watch along with the gun and "kill people anonymously" just as easily?

Or does that watch somehow read the owner's DNA or sweat-glans or something as an extra layer of security?

[DanTex]

26. Seems to me it's a whole lot harder to steal a gun and a watch at the same time.

[LAGC]

29. Perhaps...

But I'm just thinking a $1500 power toy like that might be much more tempting for a thief to target than a regular $500 pistola. (Assuming the owner isn't home to defend himself.)

If anything, I'd be worried that it might tempt some unscrupulous characters to come back later for the watch, assuming such a "smart" gun couldn't be hacked or the watch signal spoofed somehow.

Sounds to me like a solution looking for a problem.

[DanTex]

30. Not being a thief, I can't really testify to the cost-benefit analysis of multiple thefts versus one

But IMO smart guns are a step in the right direction.

[LAGC]

31. Does this mean you're going to start packing?

One for your home, one for your car?

[DanTex]

32. Well, I live in NYC now, so my days of handgun shooting are over.

Unless y'all can win a few more Supreme Court decisions...

[sir pball]

38. That ball might actually be rolling.

We'll see how the CA CCW court case works out; I'm pretty sure neither side is going to give up till a decision comes from DC. It won't be any cheaper or less almost-impossibly-inconvenient, but it won't be limited to Trump, Stern and DeNiro. Just an observation, I'd have little interest in carrying here regardless.

[linuxman]

25. Ummm...

by killing someone with ANY weapon? By having possession of the watch? Last I checked, all murders are "anonymous", unless confessed or committed in the view of the public. Please explain which features of this firearm make murdering someone without public/police knowledge impossible. I'll wait.


See you never.

[friendly_iconoclast]

27. Do you use rope to bind your straw, or baling wire?

[X_Digger]

28. Dang, beat me to it. n/t

[SQUEE]

35. I actually like the IDEA,

H&K, and and FN have been trying different methods to create a ID lock, I like the ring/ RFID type approach myself. I do see problems in battery life and such, but I keep up the batteries in my RDS, and flashlights, so checking the battery in my nightstand pistol would be no problem. Having a quickly disabled lock on a easy to reach pistol, allowing me to lock up all the "dumb guns" would be a great option.
BUT, seeing as this would be a huge selling point and easy money maker, and isn't being fielded, nor is it even on the horizon by reliable and established manufacturers I don't think it will e a reliable option in the next decade at least.

[Lost_Count]

36. I can't get behind electronics yet...

I could work with a purely mechanical solution though..