A Colorado-based weapons startup claims to have developed a firearm that only the authorized owner can operate, introducing a level of security long sought after.
The unveiling of BioFire Technologies’ innovative “Smart Gun” is a potentially significant development in the fight against gun violence.
During a recent live demonstration on ABC News Live “Prime,” the company showcased the capabilities of the “smart gun.” Now available for pre-order at $1,499, the smart gun is set for customer delivery next year, offering an innovative alternative to the standard 9 mm Glock handgun, typically priced around $500.
The concept of BioFire’s smart gun is as ingenious as it is simple, merging smartphone security technology with firearm functionality. The gun stores the user’s fingerprint or facial recognition data in its memory banks, ensuring the weapon will only discharge when operated by the authorized user. For others, the firearm is essentially an inert object.
While previous development of this technology has proved challenging, BioFire states it has overcome these difficulties by integrating the requisite engineering directly into the firearm, thus guaranteeing a seamless and secure user experience. The release of this product marks the end of a decades-long quest to create such a technology, at a critical time when the nation is grappling with a worrying increase in mass shootings, suicides, and other gun-related crimes.
Kai Kloepfer, the founder and CEO of BioFire Technologies, began working on smart-gun technology as a high-school student in 2012. Motivated by a desire to create a firearm that prioritizes safety and can be swiftly deployed in emergencies while remaining benign at other times, Kloepfer has dedicated over a decade to perfecting this technology.
In 2020 alone, firearm deaths in the United States rose by 15%, totaling 45,000, with suicides accounting for 25,000 of these fatalities. Alarmingly, gun-related violence is now the leading cause of death among American children, surpassing motor vehicle accidents. Last year, 2,590 children and teenagers lost their lives to firearms, with suicides making up 32% of these tragic incidents.
