Taser is an acronym which stands for "Tom Swift's Electric Rifle". Invented in 1969 by John H. "Jack" Cover, a Taser uses gas charges to project dart-like electrodes attached to the gun by metal wires. Once the projectile is attached to a target, electrical pulses travel through the wires, disrupting nerve and muscle function. Projectiles are often used by law enforcement as a non-lethal alternative for subduing perpetrators. Los Angeles Times: Jack Cover dies at 88; scientist invented the Taser stun gun (February 13, 2009)
The Taser's Invention
Jack Cover invented the Taser in the 1960s, after a series of airplane highjackings occurred. Guns cannot be fired safely within the body of a plane. Cover said he got the idea for a weapon that stunned people with electricity from a children's book, Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle, one of several written by the writers known collectively as Victor Appleton.Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Jack Cover, inventor of Taser stun gun, dies at 88 (February 13, 2009)
The Taser was rejected by law enforcement until the 1990s, after a new version used compressed air, rather than gunpowder, to fire the darts.Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Jack Cover, inventor of Taser stun gun, dies at 88 (February 13, 2009)
References
Fast Facts
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Over 9,100 law enforcement, correctional and military agencies in 43 countries use Taser devices
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Penetrates up to two cumulative inches of clothing
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Requires pre-sale Public Safety background check for civilian purchase
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Disperses serialized confetti when deployed
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The United Nations considers tasers to be a form of torture
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Illegal in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Washington, DC
