New Jerseyites, kiss your handguns goodby 3 years!

[Hypnogator]

From the latest Popular Mechanics:

ARMED WITH $2 MILLION in federal grants, researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) are close to perfecting the first commercially viable" smart gun." The prototype pistol, unveiled last month, is designed to recognize specific people's grips. When seized by an unauthorized hand-say, that of a child or a criminal-the gun locks its shooting mechanism.

The gun relies on Dynamic Grip Recognition, a biometric technology embedded in its handle. Sensors and microprocessors analyze the complex interplay of bones and muscles involved in pulling the trigger, all in a fraction of a second. "The way you hold a gun, curl your fingers, contract your hand muscles as you pull the trigger-all of those measurements are unique," says Donald Sebastian, vice president for research and development at NJIT.

Gun-safety advocates hail the device as a way to significantly reduce the estimated 29,000 firearm deaths in the U.S. each year, although some gun-rights advocates worry that the technology could prove more error-prone than traditional guns. Sebastian says the NJIT prototype currently has a failure rate of 1 in 100 trigger pulls, but his team aims to improve that rate to 1 in 10,000 – the Pentagon's standard for military weapons – by increasing the number of grip sensors from 32 to "hundreds" and further refining the pattern-recognition software. If all goes well, Sebastian expects a commercial version by 2008.-PATRICK DI JUSTO

 

[One of Many]

That many sensors will be very expensive, and so will the processor. When the gun is extremely hot or cold, the sensors will read differently, and the gun won't fire. If you drop the gun and the shock breaks the sensors or processor, too bad.

NJ wants the guns to be too expensive for the common person to buy. They won't require their police to use these guns, for budget and officer safety reasons.

 

[BADUNAME4]

I predict a disaster if the smart gun law becomes the law of the land in New Jersey. I say let'em have at it. The failures will be the only way for people to begin to understand. The most dangerous city in the nation, Camden, will become more so. The black market will grow exponentially. New Jersey's already a disaster and the gun issue is only the tip of the iceberg. It's the perfect place for those who don't care.

 

[Trip20]

What if you have to shoot with your weak hand?

 

[Hypnogator]

What if you have to shoot with your weak hand?

...or your wife has to use your nightstand gun to repel a home invasion one night when you're gone?

Guess you're just S.O.L.

 

[jsalcedo]

What a bunch of crap.

I think the law will be challenged the first time a "smartgun" doesn't work.

 

[tulsamal]

Gun-safety advocates hail the device as a way to significantly reduce the estimated 29,000 firearm deaths in the U.S. each year,

Quotes like this really burn me up. The "no nothing" general public reads that and thinks there are 29,000 accidental gun deaths every year. The fact that the number of accidental shootings in the US is down to 1930's levels is somehow left out. Instead we include every suicide in with "firearms deaths." How would a smart gun reduce the number of suicides or justifiable homicides by the police or general public? If I own the gun, why can't I shoot myself with it? If I have a smart gun and I shoot a home invader with it, how does the smart gun "reduce the number of gun deaths?"

IMO, the gun control movement only weakens their case when they refuse to use honest statistics! I guess that's a good thing.

Gregg

 

[only1asterisk]

What if?

What if...

you're hurt?
wearing gloves?
shift your grip?
fighting to retain a gun?

Not to mention shock, vibration, heat/cold, moisture? What about when you grip it tight because it's slippery with blood or other bodily fluid.

David

 

[LAR-15]

New Jersey is the only state to pass smart gun laws.

Even Illinois has rejected it (so far)

 

[sm]

Gun-safety advocates hail the device as a way to significantly reduce the estimated 29,000 firearm deaths in the U.S. each year, although some gun-rights advocates worry that the technology could prove more error-prone than traditional guns.

Control.

This is about nothing more than Control.

Do the dance under the glitterdome of media and gun safety advocates, the intoxication of the people on the floor under the influence of false hopes and promises.

Somebody's pockets gets rich with money and votes.

Then TPTB burn the place down - ban any type of gun of any configuration.
Sobriety "may" come to the intoxicated whom used to dance to the beat of TPTB...
For some the sobriety is too short too late. The Criminal pulls the trigger and the glitterdome of media lies and Gun Control under the guise of gun safety advocates flashes before their eyes - eyes that never see again.

There is no such thing as a Smart Gun - there is only Responsible Firearm Ownership.

A new club will re-open, this time the TPTB are intoxicated with fear, for they are now not in managment - but the prey.

 

[rock jock]

Errrr...Mr. Bad Guy, would you mind waiting while I change batteries?

 

[Tidewater Tom]

Does anybody else see the irony in New Jersey and smart gun in the same sentence?

 

[Norton]

The worst thing about this is that someone in the MD legislature will see this as a good idea and put it up to be enacted here.

 

[Wiley]

Definition: NiJIT, see igit, from idiot. Plural: NiJITs.

 

[Janitor]

Gun-safety advocates hail the device as a way to significantly reduce the estimated 29,000 firearm deaths in the U.S. each year

This is the most flagrent misuse of statistics I've ever seen in my life. The author completely neglects to point out that out of that 29,000, some of those deaths were supposed to happen. Probably the vast majority of them.

How does a gun recognizing it's owner prevent it from being used for its intended purpose?
-

 

[feedthehogs]

The key word in the quote is "estimated" not documented, so the number really doesn't mean anything.

I can estimate 200k people will die from bird flu in 06, but until 06 ends and all deaths are documented and counted, the estimate don't mean squat.

 

[BADUNAME4]

When medications started coming with tamper-proof tops, incidents of children being poisoned by medication actually went up.

 

[22-rimfire]

Nothing was said about the cost or anticipated cost per firearm. Oh, I forgot... it is for the children..... As was said, it is all about control and NJ, NY, and CA lead the pack.

 

[WT]

Colt, S&W and Glock also provided financing to NJIT to work on this firearm. Once developed, to reduce civil liabilities, I think the 3 manufacturers would produce the 'safety' gun for sale throughout the country.

Sig would jump on board.

Essentially, all guns in the country would have this technology. Say in 5 years.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Colt, S&W and Glock also provided financing to NJIT to work on this firearm. Once developed, to reduce civil liabilities, I think the 3 manufacturers would produce the 'safety' gun for sale throughout the country.

I'm not sure this would REDUCE civil liabilities. First time one of these things fails to fire, the manufacturer is in deep doo doo from a product liability standpoint. The lawsuit protection act didn't protect gun makers from suits brought against a defective product allowing a rapist or home invader to continue his act....

 

[insidious_calm]

+1 SIG


If it doesn't go bang when you press the switch that's a defective product not covered by the legislation. I would support suing them out business on principal alone for things like that. It's time to say enough!


I assume the NJ LEOs will carrying these vastly superior and safer guns right? After all, the majority of LEO shootings are done with the officers own gun. What's good for the goose.....


I.C.

 

[Henry Bowman]

NJ had better pass a law exempting the company from any liability lawsuits (for product failure). Otherwise they will be sued out of existance. Then what happens to the law if the "smart" gun is no longer commercially available?

 

[hillbilly]

I hate to bring up anything as nit-picky as documentable history here.........

But the US Army has been "just a couple of years" away from making the Objective Individual Combat Weapon "standard issue" since the early
1980s.........

You know, the black, boxy, sci-fi movie reject lookin' thing with the 20mm launcher built right in?

That thing has been "just around the corner" for at least 20 years now.

Only they can't quite get the technology right.

I really doubt that this technology is only "three years away."

hillbilly

 

[benEzra]

Colt, S&W and Glock also provided financing to NJIT to work on this firearm. Once developed, to reduce civil liabilities, I think the 3 manufacturers would produce the 'safety' gun for sale throughout the country.

Sig would jump on board.

Essentially, all guns in the country would have this technology. Say in 5 years.

Not if we don't buy them, they won't...

 

[BADUNAME4]

Not if we don't buy them, they won't...

Exactly. I'd like to see a list of all participating companies. I know that Taurus is one which is why I'll never buy a Taurus firearm.