XREP Taser shocks from far away

The problem with ordinary Tasers is that you have to be close to the person you're using it on. What if you want to pick them off from a distance? The founders of Taser showed off a new product at their 2007 Taser Conference in Chicago that will allow you to do just that.

The XREP is what they call the "reinvention" of the bullet. Essentially it is a Taser unit that's been fit inside a rifle shell. When shot it can travel over a good distance with relative accuracy and when it strikes, the front spikes will penetrate and give the person a nice little shock.

Here's where it gets really fun. The shock isn't enough to really incapacitate them, it's just enough to get them upset so that they grab for the device. Once they grab for it, they'll touch the copper wire, which is also conductive. This sends a current through their hand that won't allow them to let go.

The charge is enough to keep someone under control for a good 20 seconds, which should be plenty of time for a police officer to make their arrest. Obviously these are being aimed at law enforcement officials, so I wouldn't go looking for these at your local store. Though if they do sell these to civilians, the going rate is $99 per unit.

Taser goes high-tech with a "wireless" bullet [via tgdaily]