Weapons with the ability to debilitate crowds of people with just one sweeping motion will be for sale to both the military and police officers in the United States and Europe. Unlike the proximity challenges posed by the current commercial stun guns, the new weapons have the capability of hitting a number of people at the same time and cover greater distances.

The new electric stun guns were designed as an answer to the limitations of the Taser gun. The weapons have already been employed by several U.S. police departments and are undergoing tests within certain police forces in the UK. Some downsides of the Taser gun include its inability to stop vehicles and provide adequate crowd control protection.

Engineers have been trying to find ways to come up with an electrically conductive path between a gun and a target without having to depend on wires.

Solid-State Laser Features

• Designed to help U.S. Marine Corps in crowd control and security situations
• Expected release date: 2005
• Able to incapacitate crowds of people with a sweeping back and forth motion
• Works as long as there is a source of power available
• Compact enough to fit on a tabletop
• Ranges of 100 meters or more
• Shock level equivalent to a Taser's 50,000-volt-watt shock
• Could stop vehicles with range capabilities of over 100 meters

Concerns of the Human Rights Group

• Lack of safety tests
• The likelihood of innocent bystanders being hit
• 40 reported cases of people who were shot with a Taser gun and later died

New Scientist June 16, 2004