The New 'Smart Guns'

Colpy

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Nov 5, 2005
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Smartguns, which just entered the market, are firearms equipped with small embedded computers that are supposed to enhance safety by preventing anyone other than authorized parties from firing the weapons, and, in some cases, by ensuring that the guns only fire when aimed at inanimate targets.
I do not doubt that supporters of smartgun technology wish to reduce gun accidents and violence. That’s a goal in which I firmly believe. But is smartgun technology really ready for prime time? Or do these guns introduce vulnerabilities that could create new, serious safety issues for gun owners and non-owners alike?
My discussion centers on the area in which I have expertise – the computer-related risks of the “smart technology” used in the weapons, and the human risks that they create; I will leave to others the seemingly never-ending debate over gun control laws.


Why You Should Be Concerned About The New 'Smart Guns' (Whether You Love Or Hate Guns) - Forbes
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
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All computers can be hacked.

Also if I was a criminal, I would choose the readily available dumb guns on the current black market.

A smart gun may be useless for self defence.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
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Smartguns, which just entered the market, are firearms equipped with small embedded computers that are supposed to enhance safety by preventing anyone other than authorized parties from firing the weapons, and, in some cases, by ensuring that the guns only fire when aimed at inanimate targets.
I do not doubt that supporters of smartgun technology wish to reduce gun accidents and violence. That’s a goal in which I firmly believe. But is smartgun technology really ready for prime time? Or do these guns introduce vulnerabilities that could create new, serious safety issues for gun owners and non-owners alike?
My discussion centers on the area in which I have expertise – the computer-related risks of the “smart technology” used in the weapons, and the human risks that they create; I will leave to others the seemingly never-ending debate over gun control laws.


Why You Should Be Concerned About The New 'Smart Guns' (Whether You Love Or Hate Guns) - Forbes
Funny. The same people who equate banning cheap-a*s Saturday night specials with tyranny are now concerned about gun safety?
 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
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Northern Ontario,
All computers can be hacked.

Also if I was a criminal, I would choose the readily available dumb guns on the current black market.

A smart gun may be useless for self defence.
I wonder if the Police would accept being equipped with that type of firearm.....at least they wouldn't have to worry about some low life snagging their gun and shooting them with it.........
Betcha they don't go for it.....
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
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Smartguns are supposed to make everyone safer. Technological shortcomings in the current first generation of products, however, make the story more complex. While not all of the issues below necessarily apply to every smartgun model, together they form reason for concern:

1. Electronic devices require a power source, and smart guns are no exception. Without electricity they cannot be fired. Someone intent on using a firearm for home defense could find herself in serious danger if she drew a weapon on an armed intruder only to find that its batteries are drained. In general, it is not ideal to add a requirement for power to devices utilized in cases of emergency that did not need electricity previously. How many fire codes allow fire extinguishers that require a battery to operate? Before smartguns can be deemed reliable, therefore, they must incorporate countermeasures to address this issue. Simply warning users of low batteries may be insufficient, as many gun owners who do not carry their weapons with them keep their guns locked up, do not check them regularly, and might not see such warnings until it is too late.

Solution:
Wind up Guns - YouTube
 

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
41,030
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Red Deer AB
Smartguns, which just entered the market, are firearms equipped with small embedded computers that are supposed to enhance safety by preventing anyone other than authorized parties from firing the weapons, and, in some cases, by ensuring that the guns only fire when aimed at inanimate targets.
I do not doubt that supporters of smartgun technology wish to reduce gun accidents and violence. That’s a goal in which I firmly believe. But is smartgun technology really ready for prime time? Or do these guns introduce vulnerabilities that could create new, serious safety issues for gun owners and non-owners alike?
My discussion centers on the area in which I have expertise – the computer-related risks of the “smart technology” used in the weapons, and the human risks that they create; I will leave to others the seemingly never-ending debate over gun control laws.


Why You Should Be Concerned About The New 'Smart Guns' (Whether You Love Or Hate Guns) - Forbes
I suspect this will not be a big selling point with the police and military when they are the ones that need it the most.
 

Sal

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Sep 29, 2007
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they will need to come up with a base where the gun is left charging at all times in storage lockup, along with changeable batteries
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
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they will need to come up with a base where the gun is left charging at all times in storage lockup, along with changeable batteries

The entire idea of "smart" guns is stupid. Firearms are such simple technology that one patented in 1905 remains the top-notch choice of elite anti-terror groups today. Dependability is the primary requirement for firearms, and these are extremely dependable, smart technology can only complicate things, and thus be counter-productive.

BTW, in my career as a professional gunslinger, I carried a quite adequate weapon....patented in 1899.

If it works, don't **** with it.

BTW, firearms are so simple that Australia is having a problem with home made machine guns!!

Home built M11 submachine guns seized in Australia - The Firearm Blog

So we wind up with $1800 .22 LR "smart" guns, while the crooks get cheap home made SMGs.

BRILLIANT!!

As well, the right to keep and bear arms in the USA is intended as a check on gov't power. If the gov't has the ability to "turn off" your firearms then the right is violated.
 
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Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
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The entire idea of "smart" guns is stupid. Firearms are such simple technology that one patented in 1905 remains the top-notch choice of elite anti-terror groups today. Dependability is the primary requirement for firearms, and these are extremely dependable, smart technology can only complicate things, and thus be counter-productive.

BTW, in my career as a professional gunslinger, I carried a quite adequate weapon....patented in 1899.

If it works, don't **** with it.

BTW, firearms are so simple that Australia is having a problem with home made machine guns!!

Home built M11 submachine guns seized in Australia - The Firearm Blog

So we wind up with $1800 .22 LR "smart" guns, while the crooks get cheap home made SMGs.

BRILLIANT!!

As well, the right to keep and bear arms in the USA is intended as a check on gov't power. If the gov't has the ability to "turn off" your firearms then the right is violated.
So, if I make the personal choice to buy a smart gun, you want to stop me from doing that.

OK, you're just a gun-banner. Not one whit different from all the other gun-banners. The central tenet of your belief is that your opinions should rule other people.
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
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Saint John, N.B.
So, if I make the personal choice to buy a smart gun, you want to stop me from doing that.

OK, you're just a gun-banner. Not one whit different from all the other gun-banners. The central tenet of your belief is that your opinions should rule other people.

Not at all. Buy anything you like.......even if the do not work. Not my business.

But I have a HUGE problem with the state deciding only smart guns can be sold. That IS my business.