Technological tools for the gun issue.

[backscatter712]

Here's a couple uses for modern technology:

1. RFID gun interlocks. Implanted. When you get a gun, you might also take a trip to the doctor's office, to get yourself chipped, much like people have their dogs or cats chipped so the Humane Society can identify a lost pet and get it back to its owner. Here, the chip would be about the side of a grain of rice, get implanted in your forearm in a simple injection procedure, and your gun would be equipped with an RFID trigger interlock that's paired to the implant. If the gun detects the owner's implant, the interlock unlocks, and the gun can be fired. The range would be about six feet or so, and if the gun is removed from its owner, the RFID interlock will no longer detect the owner's implant, and locks the trigger. Because the RFID/NFC tag is literally under your skin, it's damned difficult to lose it or steal it.

2. Gun cameras. Some enterprising companies already make them. Time to make them mandatory. I'm talking about a device that is the size of your pinky, has a camera chip on it like the one in your smartphone, as well as a microUSB interface and a microSD card and a small battery. The device could take video at all times in a loop, or it can be rigged to snap pictures every time the gun is fired, or when it's out of its holster. Could be very useful in investigations. And I personally would like to mandate that all guns be equipped with them.

Just some ideas...

[NYC_SKP]

1. Who would pay for these?

Or would we just write off the bottom 50% of earners and let only the more well financed folks have guns?

I support the technology, especially the first one, but not without a way to make it fair and equitable.

[backscatter712]

2. Mass-produce them, and they become dirt-cheap.

And it's not like a decent firearm isn't a bit of an investment in itself. You can get disposable digital cameras right now for close to ten bucks. Same thing with RFID readers. You're paying far more than that for the firearm itself, especially if you're buying a remotely decent handgun.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Prior schemes have failed due to reliability issues

If we get a system that is good enough for cops then we should consider it.

The camera system you propose fails since most firearms are rarely holstered. However once you have a few years of successful demos with NYPD and LAPD, then maybe it could be considered.