An electroshock weapon is an incapacitant weapon used for subduing a person by administering electric shock aimed at disrupting superficial muscle functions. One type is a conductive energy device (CED), an electroshock gun popularly known by the brand name "Taser", which fires projectiles that administer the shock through a thin, flexible wire. Other electroshock weapons such as stun guns, stun batons, and electroshock belts administer an electric shock by direct contact. An incapacitant is a substance or device that is used to incapacitate individuals temporarily. ... For other uses, see Weapon (disambiguation). ... Sign warning of possible electric shock hazard An electric shock can occur upon contact of a humans body with any source of voltage high enough to cause sufficient current flow through the muscles or hair. ... For other uses of Muscle, see Muscle (disambiguation). ... Summary An electroshock gun or stun gun, is a weapon used for subduing a person by administering an electric shock. ...

A Taser making an electrical arc between its two electrodes

A computer-generated image (CGI) of a man holding an electric shock baton

Sign warning of possible electric shock hazard An electric shock can occur upon contact of a humans body with any source of voltage high enough to cause sufficient current flow through the muscles or hair. ... Summary An electroshock gun or stun gun, is a weapon used for subduing a person by administering an electric shock. ... Tasers used as electroshock weapons became part of routine police work in early 1990s, even though electric instruments have already been implicated in torture throughout the world as shown by Amnesty International reports. ... // Taser International, Incorporated is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based corporation that produces Tasers, the most common brand of electroshock gun. ... Wikinews has related news: Video of man tasered at Vancouver airport released Robert DziekaÅ„ski was a Polish immigrant who arrived at the Vancouver International Airport on 14 October 2007 where he died after being tasered at least twice by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). ... Tabatabainejad in handcuffs, being removed from Powell Library by UCPD officers. ... On September 17, 2007, at 12:00 p. ... A pulsed energy weapon is any weapon that:- Uses pulses of electricity to fire a projectile, or Operates by transferring electric current to its target. ... Pulsed Energy RgXProjectile or PEP is a technology of non-lethal weaponry currently under development by the U.S. military. ... An electric fence is a barrier that uses painful or even lethal high-voltage electric shocks to deter animals or people from crossing a boundary. ... The electrified water cannon is a non-lethal weapon under early research by Jaycor Tactical Systems, as part of a program to produce less lethal weapons for law enforcement officers. ... // An electrolaser is a type of electroshock weapon which is also a directed-energy weapon. ... A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a type of weapon which emits energy in an aimed direction without the means of a projectile. ... The Remote Electronically Activated Control Technology belt is a restraining device that applies 50 kV to the muscles in the area of the kidneys, pulsed over 8 s. ... The StunStrike[1] is a wireless electroshock weapon, probably a Tesla coil, being developed by XADS. It is in various sizes from rifle size upwards, with various ranges. ... Typical view of defibrillation in progress, with the operator at the head, but clear of contact with the patient Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. ... Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as electroshock, is a controversial psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 716 pixels, file size: 353 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 716 pixels, file size: 353 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... An electric arc can melt calcium oxide. ... For other uses, see Electrode (disambiguation). ... electric shock baton This work is copyrighted, and used with permission. ... electric shock baton This work is copyrighted, and used with permission. ... The seawater creature in The Abyss marked CGIs acceptance in the visual effects industry. ...

Principles of operation

Electroshock weapon technology uses a temporary high-voltage low-current electrical discharge to override the body's muscle-triggering mechanisms. The recipient is immobilized via two metal probes connected via metal wires to the electroshock device. The recipient feels pain, and can be momentarily paralyzed while an electric current is being applied. It is reported that applying electroshock devices to more sensitive parts of the body is even more painful. ^[1] The Maximum Effective Areas for stun gun usage are upper shoulder, below the rib cage, and the upper hip. The relatively low electric current must be pushed by high voltage to overcome the electrical resistance of the human body. The resulting 'shock' is caused by muscles twitching uncontrollably, appearing as muscle spasms. Experts generally agree that the 'margin' of safety in this case is highly dependent on the overall health of the person subjected to the shock. The higher the voltage, the more adverse it is.

The new M-26 Taser models produce a peak current of 18 Amperes in pulses that last for around 10 microseconds.^[2] For other uses, see Ampere (disambiguation). ...

The internal circuits of most electroshock weapons are fairly simple, based on either an oscillator, resonant circuit, and step-up transformer or a diode-capacitor voltage multiplier to achieve the continuous, direct, or alternating high-voltage discharge. It may be powered by one or more batteries depending on manufacturer and model. The output voltages without external "load" (which would be the target's body) are claimed to be in the range of 50 kV up to 1000 kV, with the most common being in the 200 to 300 kV range. However, since air has a dielectric breakdown (Emax) of 3000 kV/m, it is clear that the spacing of the electrodes will not permit the upper range of claimed voltages (900 kV representing a minimum electrode spacing of about 30 cm). The output current upon contact with the target will depend on various factors such as target's resistance, skin type, moisture, bodily salinity, clothing, the electroshock weapon's internal circuitry, and battery conditions.^[3][4] Oscillation is the periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure as seen, for example, in a swinging pendulum. ... This article is about resonance in physics. ... For other uses, see Transformer (disambiguation). ... Closeup of the image below, showing the square shaped semiconductor crystal various semiconductor diodes, below a bridge rectifier Structure of a vacuum tube diode In electronics, a diode is a two-terminal component, almost always one that has electrical properties which vary depending on the direction of flow of charge... See Capacitor (component) for a discussion of specific types. ... Villard cascade voltage multiplier. ... For other uses, see Battery. ...

According to the many sources, a shock of a half-second duration will cause intense pain and muscle contractions, startling most people greatly. Two to three seconds will often cause the subject to become dazed and drop to the ground, and over three seconds will usually completely disorient and drop an attacker for at least several seconds.TASER International warns law enforcement agencies that “prolonged or continuous exposure(s) to the TASER device’s electrical charge” may lead to medical risks such as cumulative exhaustion and breathing impairment.^[5] Because there is no automatic stop on a taser gun, many officers have used it repeatedly or for a prolonged period of time, thus potentially contributing to suspects’ injuries or death.^[6][7]

Commercially-available varieties

Electric cattle prod from the 1950s.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Electric shock prods

This type is similar in basic design to an electric cattle prod. It has a metal end split into two parts electrically insulated from each other, or two thin projecting metal electrodes about an inch apart, at an end of a shaft containing the batteries and mechanism. At the other end of the shaft are a handle and a switch. Both electrodes must touch the subject. In some types the sides of the baton can be electrified to stop the subject from grasping the baton above the electrodes. They are often carried in a sheath slung on a belt. Some such devices are available disguised as other objects, such as umbrellas, cell-phones or pens. Sometimes they have an option to make a noisy visible electric arc between the electrodes, to warn potential victims. // A cattle prod, also called a stock prod, is a handheld device commonly used to make cattle or other livestock move by striking or poking them, or (in the case of a hotshot) through a (relatively) high voltage, low current electric shock. ... Alternative meanings: There is also an Electric-type Pokémon named Electrode. ...

Some models are built into long flashlights also designed to administer an electric shock with its lit end's metal surround (which is split into halves insulated from each other). For the Parliament song, see Flash Light (song). ...

In the beginning, police used electric cattle prods as electric shock prods. // A cattle prod, also called a stock prod, is a handheld device commonly used to make cattle or other livestock move by striking or poking them, or (in the case of a hotshot) through a (relatively) high voltage, low current electric shock. ...

Links to images:

• Image of electric shock baton
• Image of 150 Kv Electroshock baton/flashlight
• Image of 120 Kv Electroshock baton/flashlight

Taser

Main article: Taser

A taser is an electroshock weapon that can stun a targeted subject from a distance by firing electrodes on the end of long thin wires. Summary An electroshock gun or stun gun, is a weapon used for subduing a person by administering an electric shock. ... This article is about the Internet protocol. ...

Wireless long-range electric shock weapon

Taser International recently said they had finished developing a long-range wireless electro-shock projectile called XREP (eXtended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile), which can be fired from any 12-gauge shotgun; its range is currently 100 feet, but the U.S. Department of Defense, which has funded development of the technology, expects delivery of a 300-foot-range projectile of this type from the company in 2007. ^[8] // Taser International, Incorporated is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based corporation that produces Tasers, the most common brand of electroshock gun. ... 12 gauge is the most common size of shotgun shell. ... For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ... The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ...

Stun belts

A stun belt is a belt that is fastened around the subject's waist, leg, or arm that carries a battery and control pack, and contains features to stop the subject from unfastening or removing it. A remote-control signal is sent to tell the battery pack to give the subject an electric shock. Some models are activated by the subject's movement.

The United States uses these devices to control prisoners. One type is the REACT belt. Some stun belts can restrain the subject's hands and have a strap going under the subject's crotch to stop him from rotating the belt around the subject's waist and trying to deactivate it. Stun belts are not generally available to the public. The Remote Electronically Activated Control Technology belt is a restraining device that applies 50 kV to the muscles in the area of the kidneys, pulsed over 8 s. ...

Prototype designs

Due to increased interest in developing less-lethal weapons, mainly from the US military, a number of new types of electroshock weapon are being researched. They are designed to provide a "ranged" non-lethal weapon.

Weapons that administer electric shock through a stream of fluid

Prototype electroshock guns exist that replace the solid wire with a stream of conductive liquid (e.g., an electrolyte), which offers the range of a Taser (or better) and the possibility of multiple shots. See Electrified water cannon. Difficulties associated with this experimental design include: The electrified water cannon is a non-lethal weapon under early research by Jaycor Tactical Systems, as part of a program to produce less lethal weapons for law enforcement officers. ...

• "Non-continuous" discharge onto subject: liquid stream needs over 30 feet and over 5-second discharge
• "Pooling" of conductive liquid at base of subject, making apprehension of subject difficult by observing officers
• Need to carry a large tank of the liquid used, and a propellant canister, like a “water gun”, to administer consecutive bursts of liquid over distances.

Another design, announced by Rheinmetall W&M as a prototype in 2003, uses an aerosol as the conductive medium. The manufacturers called it a "Plasma Taser"; however, this is only a marketing name, and the weapon does not use plasma. Problems associated with this design include: Rheinmetall is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf and Unterlüß. It has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces. ... Aerosol, is a term derived from the fact that matter floating in air is a suspension (a mixture in which solid or liquid or combined solid-liquid particles are suspended in a fluid). ... For other uses, see Plasma. ...

• Poor electrical conductivity
• Range of concept design is nominal (a gas cannot be propelled greater than 10 feet effectively)
• The "gassing effect": all subjects in enclosed spaces are subjected to same effects (if any, as electrical conductivity can be poor).

Electrolaser

Other known or rumored variants include the electrolaser, which uses blooming of a laser beam to create a conductive channel of ionized air (plasma) to carry the electric shock. // An electrolaser is a type of electroshock weapon which is also a directed-energy weapon. ... A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a type of weapon which emits energy in an aimed direction without the means of a projectile. ... For other uses, see Plasma. ...

Patents

• U.S. Patent 8,843  - Electric whaling apparatus - 1852 patent by Albert Sonnenburg and Philipp Rechten
• U.S. Patent 2,805,067  - Electric weapon - 1957 patent by Thomas D. Ryan
• U.S. Patent 5,103,366  - Electrical stun guns and electrically conductive liquids - 1989 patent by Gregory Battochi

Controversies

See also: Taser controversy

Because of the use of electricity and the claim of the weapon being non-lethal, controversy has sprouted over particular incidents involving the weapon and the use of the weapon in general. In essence, controversy has been centered around the justification of the use of the weapon in certain instances, and, in some cases, health issues that are claimed to be due to the use of the weapon. Tasers used as electroshock weapons became part of routine police work in early 1990s, even though electric instruments have already been implicated in torture throughout the world as shown by Amnesty International reports. ...

In independent reviews, the devices are usually verified as non-lethal, but the manufacturers' instructions and disclaimers often warn of possible fatalities.^[9][10][11]

Torture

The United Nations Committee against Torture reports that the use of Tasers can be a form of torture, due to the acute pain they cause, and warns against the possibility of death in certain cases. ^{[12] [13]} The use of stun belts has been condemned by Amnesty International as torture, not only for the physical pain the devices cause, but also for their heightened abuse potential, due to their perceived "harmlessness" in terms of causing initial injuries like (e.g.) ordinary police batons do. Amnesty International has reported several alleged cases of excessive electroshock gun use that possibly amount to torture.^[14] They have also raised extensive concerns about the use of other electro-shock devices by American police and in American prisons, as they can be (and according to Amnesty International, sometimes are) used to inflict cruel pain on individuals.^[15] UN redirects here. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience... For other uses, see Torture (disambiguation). ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience...

Tasers may also not leave the telltale markings that a conventional beating might. The American Civil Liberties Union has also raised concerns about their use.^[16] Beating up is systematic punching, or hitting with a blunt instrument, many times, with the design or effect of causing much pain. ... The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American organization consisting of two separate entities: the ACLU Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union which focuses on legislative lobbying and does not have non-profit status. ...

Doubts over contact weapons effectiveness as self-defense weapons

Although these devices are usually advertised as very effective "personal defense" weapons, many security operators and martial arts experts have expressed doubt about their effectiveness against determined and physically strong aggressors in a real combat situation and their value as a defense weapon in general.

They claim that contact based electroshock weapons need much more continuous and uninterrupted contact time with one's intended target than usually advertised, well above 5 seconds, to stop a determined assailant effectively, and that much time can be impossible to achieve against a physically superior or better-trained opponent in close unarmed combat. They claim that, in such an event, the likely outcome would be merely irritating the assailant and having the electroshock weapon broken, taken away, or used against oneself for retaliation, after giving its intended user a false sense of security and power.^[17]

References

is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

See also

• Electroshock weapon controversy
• electric fence

There has been some controversy over the use of an electroshock weapon as it becomes increasingly used over time. ... An electric fence is a barrier that uses painful or even lethal high-voltage electric shocks to deter animals or people from crossing a boundary. ...

External links

• Electrical stun weapons: alternative to lethal force or a compliance tool?, University of Bradford, UK.
• The Physical Effects of Electroshock Weapons
• "Use of Force, Civil Litigation, and the Taser" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, March 2005 (pg. 24-30)
• Electric shock prods:
  • How Stuff Works - Stun Guns
  • Stun Gun/Baton Information