Password protected bullets - How dumb is this?

[hoghunting]

I read this article and thought this was the dumbest thing I've read, but some people will think this will save the world.

Quote:
Password-protected bullets

Safety catches do not always prevent firearm accidents and even newfangled biometric guns, which check the identity of a user by their fingerprint, cannot stop thieves from using stolen ammunition in other weapons.

The way to make firearms really safe, says Hebert Meyerle of Germany, is to password-protect the ammunition itself.

Meyerle is patenting a design for a modified cartridge that would be fired by a burst of high-frequency radio energy. But the energy would only ignite the charge if a solid-state switch within the cartridge had been activated. This would only happen if a password entered into the gun using a tiny keypad matched one stored in the cartridge.

When they are sold, cartridges could be programmed with a password that matches the purchaser's gun. An owner could set the gun to request the password when it is reloaded, or to perform a biometric check before firing. The gun could also automatically lock itself after a pre-set period of time has passed since the password was entered.

The system would undoubtedly cost more than a conventional gun, but many firearm enthusiasts would surely pay a premium for such added security.



http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn9412-invention-passwordprotect

 

[Mauserguy]

The link doesn't work for me, but password protected bullets sound pretty stupid to me.
Mauserguy

 

[kansas45]

I couldn't get it either. :banghead: Can you enlighten us?

 

[Zen21Tao]

Here is the story for those that couldn't get to it:

Invention: Password-protected bullets

For more than 30 years, Barry Fox has trawled through the world's weird and wonderful patent applications, uncovering the most exciting, bizarre or even terrifying new ideas. His column, Invention, is exclusively online. Scroll down for a round-up of previous Invention articles.

Password-protected bullets

Safety catches do not always prevent firearm accidents and even newfangled biometric guns, which check the identity of a user by their fingerprint, cannot stop thieves from using stolen ammunition in other weapons.

The way to make firearms really safe, says Hebert Meyerle of Germany, is to password-protect the ammunition itself.

Meyerle is patenting a design for a modified cartridge that would be fired by a burst of high-frequency radio energy. But the energy would only ignite the charge if a solid-state switch within the cartridge had been activated. This would only happen if a password entered into the gun using a tiny keypad matched one stored in the cartridge.

When they are sold, cartridges could be programmed with a password that matches the purchaser's gun. An owner could set the gun to request the password when it is reloaded, or to perform a biometric check before firing. The gun could also automatically lock itself after a pre-set period of time has passed since the password was entered.

The system would undoubtedly cost more than a conventional gun, but many firearm enthusiasts would surely pay a premium for such added security.

Here is the patent information:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph...32".PGNR.&OS=DN/20060117632&RS=DN/20060117632

 

[Matthew748]

That is idiotic. If a foolish concept like this one ever takes root in reality, I sure hope the "inventor" is held liable when it backfires and renders an innocent person unable to defend him or herself.

 

[The_Antibubba]

The system would undoubtedly cost more than a conventional gun, but many firearm enthusiasts would surely pay a premium for such added security.

Read that as "Many gun haters would surely want to see such an unproven and unreliable device drive the cost of firearms out of reach of most of the populace".


Jeez.

 

[50caliber123]

Stock Up!!!! Get real AMMO NOW!!!!

 

[MrTwigg]

That makes about as much sense as...

Boston's Mumbles Menino wanting serial numbers on cartridges and GPS on all guns ! View attachment 270767

 

[ready4shtf]

I think they already tried that in "Judge Dredd"

 

[kludge]

That is idiotic. If a foolish concept like this one ever takes root in reality, I sure hope the "inventor" is held liable when it backfires and renders an innocent person unable to defend him or herself.

Didn't GWB recently sign legislation that would not allow that?

 

[leadcounsel]

As slow and unreliable as most of my computers have become, and how inherently reliable they are on a power source, this is a stupid idea that is doomed from the start.

There is no replacement for simple physics concepts that work. Hammer hits pin, pin hits primer, primer lights power, explosion forces bullet down tube.

I say let this inventor and his left wing followers waist their time and money on these fantasies. Clearly he's not much of an inventor if he cannot see the immediate and inherent problems with this plan!

 

[lance22]

EXCELLENT!

Yes, I want a keyboard on my carry piece! I'd like dark matte finish on the keys on a nickel-chrome keyboard itself. This would look HOT! Anyone know of a shop that will help me with this option?

I'm not sure how they will perform the biometric scan, but I like blue-light lasers on my scanners, not red. Again, I am willing to pay extra as the blue laser will match the black matte / nickel keyboard also attached to my carry piece. I wonder if DelFatti or BearClaw Holsters can set me up with an IWB for this?

I have grave concerns, however, about young children being able to "accidentally" type in the uid / pwd so maybe the keys should be set at 11 lbs key stroke.

 

[3 weelin geezer]

ok, now what do you do with that transistor or whatever inside the case if it goes down the barrel before the next shot? How about the power supply to make it work? I think I saw a movie back in the 70's about some guy that used a gun with little tomahawk missiles that could tell the 'bad' guy from say a cop standing next to him after flying around a few corners in a warehouse.

 

[Zen21Tao]

The ultimate gun-grabber approved gun:

Matching passwords on both the gun and the bullets first require a thumb print to activate the key pad. Next, in order to work slide/cylinder to load the weapon a hair folicle from the owner must be inserted in the grip. Now, the weapon can be loaded but there is a latch over the trigger that requires a sample of the owners blood to deactivate itself. Now that the gun user has access to the trigger he needs to open the barrel block by inserting both a saliva and nasil swab. Finally, the gun can be fired.

 

[Gifted]

As I mentioned on Livejournal. You take a gun, insulate the firing pin, and set up a high voltage/ampage pulse through it. Microcircuits can only take so much-at some point it'll overload, and the primer will go off.

 

[leadcounsel]

You take a gun, insulate the firing pin, and set up a high voltage/ampage pulse through it. Microcircuits can only take so much-at some point it'll overload, and the primer will go off.

So, WHAT'S THE BLOODY POINT TO IT? If I want to shoot it I'm not interested in putting in a password or relying on some electrocurrent. My trigger finger is the only password I need, and my brain determines when my finger flexes to pull the trigger. That is free, 100% reliable, and KISS (keep it simple stupid).

 

[Berek]

What would be the chance of the round going off during the "password programming" phase? 50 rounds of 9mm going off while sitting on the counter getting programmed?

Not to mention, in PDWs, no one will ever convince me that there will be enough time every time to punch in a pswd. Where would the keypad be mounted??? On the grip and your standard grip would clear the pswd and de-activate the whole thing. On the slide? The vibration would tear it up.

I dunno. I think it's just the anti-'s trying to deepen their claws on the throat of our RKBA. Not to mention, if I'm not willing to pay more for some of these bio-metric guns, why would I pay more for a pswd protected system? What's next? An internet linked payment system for each bullet expended? $0.50 for a box to own but $5 for each round fired? :banghead: Pay-Pal would love that...

 

[Gifted]

So, WHAT'S THE BLOODY POINT TO IT?

I was kind of pointing out the biggest flaw to it. This only works if the only guns it's used in are the special kind. I'll bet it wouldn't take very long to rig a gun like I said, and then it doesn't matter what you're password is.

 

[akodo]

yea, this is great. Nothing like pressing the trigger then have your gun ask you what your mother's maiden name is, your pet's name, and the last 4 didgets of your social security number, before it actually will fire

 

[kludge]

Better yet, it would run Windows, and when you pull the trigger is asks "Do you really want to shoot?"

 

[Archie]

The sad part of this ...

How much research and hard work went into this development?

Yeah, the concept sucks buttermilk as a viable option for any sort of serious firearm; but the technology involved is pretty impressive.

The sad part is this yoyo could have developed something actually useful instead of wasting his time and intellect on this worthless novelty.

 

[Zen21Tao]

Better yet, it would run Windows, and when you pull the trigger is asks "Do you really want to shoot?"

Actually, expect to have to re-installed all the drivers after each reload. Then when you finally have the system configured correctly and confront the bad guy you manage to get the draw on him and pull the trigger only to get the dreaded "blue screen of death." Either that or when you draw your weapon you get a pop up message that must be closed before you can fire the gun. Oh... and what if your guns are networked such that when you pull the trigger on the gun you have aimed at the bad guy your backup weapon fires instead?

 

[Chrontius]

You know...

It would *really suck* to have an entire box of high-powered rifle ammo cook off when walking through the radio frequency inventory-control gates at Wal-Mart. "Would someone help me? I think I missing a leg" suck.

It's bad enough with a pair of headphones that start howling like a banshee, but while that's not *quite* life threatening, it'll still maim you for life if you're not fast getting 'em off. I wonder what the activation energy on those primers is? More importantly, the overload energy?

Can anyone here say "Weaponized HERF gun?"

 

[benEzra]

Somebody's been watching too much Jimmy Neutron...or Roger Rabbit...not sure which...

 

[MidnightRambler]

Well, Germany's firmly entrenched in the UN, and I'm sure they consider this idea to be brilliant. So, I think the rest of the UN countries around the world can use this type of ammo, and we here in the US will stick to the old fashioned kind.