A definant improvement to the use of "intermediate use" weapons though it will now place it as a firearm technology because it "...explodes and "squeezes piezoelectric materials and this generates a powerful voltage delivered to the victim via needle-like electrodes that pierce the skin."

wow! that is impressive and a good thing for law enforcement.

The one thing that worries me is that an officer will have to be a dang good shot. What if some innocent bystander gets this in the neck, the heart, or the base of the spine and dies from cardiac arrest?

But one is a heck of a lot less likely to die from this than by a shot from a glock pistol. I think this is awesome because you can shoot this at an excaping criminal while he is running away. Or even in a hostage rescue if the guy happens to not be paying attension for a while. You could probably even modify this to be used from a long range rifle of some kind and have the ultimate non-leathal stopping power.

My concerns mirror those of dhcphd,euterpe35, and blzrd,however as a combat veteran as well as a former peace officer/corrections officer, I see numerous applications of this technology that are much more adventurous. I always thought that paintball sucked anyway. this would definately pick that sorryass game up more than a notch.

I think that is a great improvement. If the ammunition can be made cheeply enought, I would like to see all service weapons build with dual modes. Having a 3 position saftey switch that would select between safe, taser round, leathal round.
That would greatly improve our PR on peace keeping missions like Iraq. And we would get much better intel from interrogating combatants who we caught red handed shooting at us instead of having to wonder if this guys is lying or was truely just an innocent civilian.

Great Paintball Gun replacement! Makes it easier to take that war simulation seriously.

On the serious side, I guarantee you this is not as safe as the short range technology. Death of those with a history of cardiac problems is not even the start. Hits in the eye or face will be common at distance.

Users will be tempted to shoot people driving through open windows, on ladders and all sorts of escape situations they would not have consider with short range tasers.

All this means lawsuits and crippled people felons and bystanders. Society needs to ask itself if the "moral high ground" of non-lethal really makes sense. Personally I think guanranteed lethal would be better. It reduces lawsuits from criminals and also forces lw officers to carefully consider using the device.

Any idea what the actual gun is called and where it can be bought from.