Definition of a Taser Gun
Ever since its debut, the less-than-lethal weapon known as a Taser has caught people's attention. The option of disabling attackers with electricity, though surely not new, appealed to many. However, the question remains with so many products on the market under the name: What, exactly, is a Taser?
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Definition
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A Taser is a weapon which uses electricity to deliver a debilitating shock to the target, which acts on his nervous system, rendering him incapacitated through affecting the muscles rather than causing pain. It's the fact that the device relies on system shock, rather than pain, that defines a Taser.
Name
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Taser is an acronym for a weapon that never really existed: Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle.
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Process
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Tasers function much like a more traditional firearm. They're gun shaped, and when the trigger is pulled, a pre-loaded cartridge fires two prongs attached to electric wires connected to a battery, which then delivers the shock to the target's system.
Controversy
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Though heralded as a new, gentler form of situation resolution, Tasers have become controversial due to a larger than acceptable rate of serious injury and death after their use.
Effectiveness
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If a Taser makes contact with the subject's skin, it often defuses situations quickly. However, thick clothing or body armor easily stops a Taser's effectiveness, forcing officers to resort to more lethal means.
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