Smart Guns: The Future of Firearms?

Could the use of fingerprint technology help further safeguard our guns? Some say this is the perfect solution to keep firearms from being used by anyone who is not the gun owner. Additionally, this kind of smart lock on a gun may prevent accidents from happening.

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Many already use passwords and touch screens to secure computers and smart phones. Now, some gun manufacturers are working to apply the same technology to safeguard firearms.

One example, the Identilock, saves fingerprints and only works when the gun’s owner swipes. Another, the Armatix, only shoots if the user is wearing a special wireless watch.

Soon, “smart guns” like these may be produced in Tennessee because of a state law that went into effect July 1 giving tax breaks to companies that produce them.

Bob Nash, a former police officer with 33 years of experience, supports the production and use of smart guns:

“I think smart guns are a great technology and really offer a smart technology for a lot of gun owners who want that extra layer of protection to keep them out of the hands of children.”

The idea seems practical in theory, but could this new technology actually backfire on the gun owner? In a moment of self-defense, adding extra steps to the process of shooting a gun may put the owner in jeopardy if he or she is not able to shoot quickly enough.

However, with the recent tax breaks in Tennessee given to producers of smart guns, this trend just may be on the rise.

— Kara Jones

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