Think of it as iPhone technology for your handgun. Within the year, a new form of biometric authentication for “smart guns” is expected to hit store shelves for $300.
“The key is reliability,” Detroit engineer Omer Kiyani told CNN of his product, Indentilock. When Mr. Kiyani was a teenager he was shot in the face with an unsecured firearm and has used that experience to create something he feels will save lives.
“The sensor has proved itself in different sectors over the past few years and the market is aware of its capability,” he said.
Mr. Kiyani knows that seconds count during a home invasion, which is why he told CNN that his product balances the need for easy access with the desire to reduce accidents like the one that wounded him as a child.
“The main point of firearms ownership is home defense, and home defense means quick access,” he said. “… But the other side of that is accidents. … I’m a gun victim, a gun owner, and I have children. I came up with something that fits my needs.”
Identilock works by using technology primarily associated with security scanners, although Mr. Kiyani’s device is attached to the trigger of an individual’s firearm. As the person grabs his weapon, Identilock’s biometric authentication kicks in and releases the device from the gun, CNN reported.
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When Mr. Kiyani’s product hits the market it will compete with Armatix, a German pistol that uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip activated by the owner’s watch, CNN reported.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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