TriggerSmart taps into RFID technology for increased gun safety
06 March, 2012
category: RFID
TriggerSmart, a startup based out of Ireland, has developed an RFID-based firearm which authenticates its owner before firing, according to SmartPlanet.
An RFID reader is first embedded in the handle of the gun and programmed to recognize a passive RFID tag, carrying a unique ID number that is embedded in either a ring or a bracelet, worn by the gun owner.
The firearm’s safety remains engaged until it detects the authenticated gun owner, so the trigger cannot be pulled. As soon as the reader detects the approved tag, a microcontroller sends a message to a solenoid that is linked to the gun’s safety, making the gun ready to shoot.
The concept was inspired by news story, about a police officer who had his gun wrestled from him and used against him. With the TriggerSmart system, if a gun were stolen away from its owner, the safety would re-engage thereby rendering the gun useless to the would-be perp. And if a child was to discover the gun, or a thief was to steal it, he or she could not be able disengage the safety.
TriggerSmart has currently secured their intellectual property in the U.S., and also have patents filed and pending in 58 other countries including Europe, as well as Russia, China, and Israel.
Read the full story here.