Biofire has just announced its new ‘smart gun.’ It’s approximately the size of a toaster, but I’m sure that can be reduced over time. It has to be stored in a ‘smart dock’, which has to be plugged in. So, not really designed to be carried away from home.
The company claims that it will still work if you’re wearing gloves. I don’t quite see how that’s possible (it relies on ‘capacitive’ fingerprint recognition technology — something that might require you to train the device on particular pairs of gloves), but in the demo on its web site, you see someone picking the gun up and shooting it with gloved hands.
Will it be possible to bypass the electronic system by permanently disabling the lock mechanically?
Did I mention that it runs on a battery? (This could give the phrase ‘blue screen of death’ a whole new meaning.)
Look, ever since the idea was floated (about a decade ago), gun owners have produced a litany of practical objections. The company thinks that it’s overcome these objections. Whether that’s the case remains to be seen. Gun writers should be producing hands-on reviews in the coming months.
But my bottom line is this: My life, and the lives of the people I carry a gun to protect, are at least as important as the life of the President.
So when I see the Secret Service using this technology exclusively — carrying no ‘dumb’ guns as backups — then it will be time for me to consider using it.