Everyone's favourite stun gun manufacturer Taser has unveiled
it's latest loving piece of "non lethal" technology,
The Taser Shockwave.
The new weapon is significantly different to the
Tasers currently used by police in that it has six different electrified
charges and is designed to target crowds rather than individuals.
The cartridges are tethered by 25-foot wires, which
can be fired from a distance of up to 100 meters in a 20-degree
arc. The "probes" on the end of the cartridges can pierce
through clothing and skin, emitting 50,000 volts of electricity
in the process.
"Full area coverage is provided to instantaneously
incapacitate multiple personnel within that region" Taser
explains.
"Multiple Shockwave units can be stacked together
(like building blocks) either horizontally or vertically in order
to extend area coverage or vertically to allow for multiple salvo
engagements." The product description states.
The weapons can also be vehicle mounted or "daisy
chained" according to Taser. Clearly it is anticipated that
these things will be used on sizable crowds, meaning an increased
likelihood of indiscriminate targeting.
Watch a presentation on the Shockwave from Taser:
The Shockwave isn't the only new development on Taser's books
either. The Extended-Range
Electronic Projectile (XREP) is touted as the first
electric shock weapon that can be fired from a normal gun, in
this case a 12-gauge shotgun. It delivers a 20-second shock, compared
with the default setting five-second shock of a traditional taser
X26.
"To maximize incapacitation, the XREP engine
incorporates a microprocessor controlled optimal electrode selection
technology. Twenty times per second, the XREP engine checks for
the optimal electrode connection to maximize the contact spread
and achieve greatest incapacitation." Taser states.
Watch a demonstration:
Both the Taser Shockwave and the XREP are scheduled
to go into full production by the end of this year.
Taser has been the subject of much controversy and
outrage. One year ago the UN's Committee Against Torture issued
a statement
on the TaserX26, which read: "The use of TaserX26
weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture,
and that in certain cases it could also cause death, as shown
by several reliable studies and by certain cases that had happened
after practical use."
We still await more loving developments from Taser
including the much anticipated Taser
saucer.
Everyone's favourite stun gun manufacturer Taser has unveiled
it's latest loving piece of "non lethal" technology,
The Taser Shockwave.
The Shockwave isn't the only new development on Taser's books
either. The 
