Comments on: Tasers: Defense Mechanism or Lethal Weapon? http://radiogalaxy.org/2008/08/14/tasers-defense-mechanism-or-lethal-weapon/ Every great planet deserves its own show. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:21:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Matthew C. Scallon @mattsteady http://radiogalaxy.org/2008/08/14/tasers-defense-mechanism-or-lethal-weapon/#comment-35 Matthew C. Scallon @mattsteady Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:15:40 +0000 http://radiogalaxy.org/?p=94#comment-35 The problem with the taser is that the resulting current sent through the suspect's body varies by body type, and it takes but a tenth of microamp to stop a human heart. Couple that with the inductive quality of blood, keeping a current going even after the taser has stopped, you can see that multiple taser blasts have a strong likelihood of causing death. I prefer the ray gun which blasts with microwave pulse. The suspect doesn't get shocked, but they get uncomfortably warm really fast. So far, there hasn't been any long-term side effects. The problem with the taser is that the resulting current sent through the suspect’s body varies by body type, and it takes but a tenth of microamp to stop a human heart. Couple that with the inductive quality of blood, keeping a current going even after the taser has stopped, you can see that multiple taser blasts have a strong likelihood of causing death.

I prefer the ray gun which blasts with microwave pulse. The suspect doesn’t get shocked, but they get uncomfortably warm really fast. So far, there hasn’t been any long-term side effects.

]]> By: KenY http://radiogalaxy.org/2008/08/14/tasers-defense-mechanism-or-lethal-weapon/#comment-29 KenY Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:40:23 +0000 http://radiogalaxy.org/?p=94#comment-29 There was an interesting article in the IEEE Spectrum last year about Tasers - how they work and whether they are safe or not: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/dec07/5731 I think it's fair to say that they are less lethal than, say, a handgun, however, the flip side is that the perceived relative safety of the weapon may give the person using it a false sense of safety, so it may be used more often than handguns are used. My sense is that there's much about Tasers that is not known or studied yet about their lethality. Like any other weapon, it's not a harmless device. It can certainly be abused, but I also think that it's not an unreasonable weapon to use in some situations where a conventional firearm would be excessive. There was an interesting article in the IEEE Spectrum last year about Tasers - how they work and whether they are safe or not: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/dec07/5731

I think it’s fair to say that they are less lethal than, say, a handgun, however, the flip side is that the perceived relative safety of the weapon may give the person using it a false sense of safety, so it may be used more often than handguns are used.

My sense is that there’s much about Tasers that is not known or studied yet about their lethality. Like any other weapon, it’s not a harmless device. It can certainly be abused, but I also think that it’s not an unreasonable weapon to use in some situations where a conventional firearm would be excessive.

]]> By: April http://radiogalaxy.org/2008/08/14/tasers-defense-mechanism-or-lethal-weapon/#comment-28 April Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:27:04 +0000 http://radiogalaxy.org/?p=94#comment-28 Well, we know electric shocks have adverse effects on the human body (e.g. the electric chair, old electric shock treatments). I think this is a more lethal weapon than police officers are admitting. Besides death, I wonder what other effects this weapon will have on the human body- does it effect brain function at all? Well, we know electric shocks have adverse effects on the human body (e.g. the electric chair, old electric shock treatments). I think this is a more lethal weapon than police officers are admitting. Besides death, I wonder what other effects this weapon will have on the human body- does it effect brain function at all?

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