high-tech taser jacket

May 22, 2003 9:57 AM

At last! A superhero costume for the masses!
posted by titboy (19 comments total)

"Whiton conceded that women could use it offensively, and that it would be hard for police to arrest anyone wearing one."

Well, well. Why don't we just give the terrorists everything they want, huh?

Crimony.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:11 AM on May 22, 2003

Not sure if I grasped how this works. First it prevents you from being grabbed from behind. So you hold a button down in your sleeve for a period of time to charge the zap. But how do you know that someone right then will grab you from behind so you can zap them? Too much time in between to be prevent an attack, may stop one in progress. If you need this jacket, move; Or you are 008, Miss Bond.

In a crowd scenario: I think that woman likes me; how can you tell; I get this tingling sensation zaps all over me...
posted by thomcatspike at 10:14 AM on May 22, 2003

Am I wrong in suspecting that this high-tech $1000.00 piece of personal security apparal could be defeated by wearing a pair of gloves?
posted by rusty at 10:24 AM on May 22, 2003

"Am I wrong in suspecting that this high-tech $1000.00 piece of personal security apparal could be defeated by wearing a pair of gloves?"

DAMMIT! Back to the drawing board.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:28 AM on May 22, 2003

The first video Wired links to doesn't make the jacket seem very impressive. The guy keeps grabbing the woman, and he eventually lets go, but he's not incapacitated; he just looks annoyed. One time he's able to hold on long enough to pull her against a wall. That's not quite "No Contact." I think they need to bump it up to 180,000 volts.
posted by realityblurred at 10:35 AM on May 22, 2003

"You might run into some problems if it shocked the person wearing it," she said.

I was surprised this was the only mention of this. It was my first question upon seeing the headline. Can somebody who understands electric charge explain to me why the wearer wouldn't get at least some of the shock? Just wonderin'.
posted by soyjoy at 10:45 AM on May 22, 2003

The first video Wired links to doesn't make the jacket seem very impressive.

Notice from the video the zap is above her chest, when you grab you grasp an arm, unless you're playing leap-frog.

Rusty good point, if your wearing a jacket the weather may call for gloves too.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:49 AM on May 22, 2003

but for every woman who may consider this jacket a necessity comes a call for public attention to the situation. [last line] Back to this thread.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:56 AM on May 22, 2003

I want an entire outfit, like Trinity's in the Matrix, made of this stuff....not because I think it would be useful in stopping an attack...but DAMN that would look cool in a nightclub. ;)
posted by dejah420 at 10:58 AM on May 22, 2003

I want an entire outfit
Followed up with a line of swimwear.
posted by mss at 11:38 AM on May 22, 2003

Are we sure this isn't some sort of hoax? Because, even with my limited skills, I think I could take a video of a girl in a jacket and add some sparks. It even kinda looks fake.
posted by graventy at 11:51 AM on May 22, 2003

I always throught pulsing electricity or laser optics in a jacket would be the next huge fashion thing.
posted by rudyfink at 12:13 PM on May 22, 2003

"In breaking news, a woman was killed today when she stepped into traffic. A bystander attempted to pull her back to safety, but was unable to keep his grip and save her due to her shock-jacket. The bystander's pacemaker stopped as a result of the electrical shock and he died at the scene. Police are still trying to clear salivating lawyers from the area."
posted by joaquim at 12:17 PM on May 22, 2003

Ah, yes, another market to tap; one that further divides the genders. I love fear exploited by greed, don't you?
posted by WolfDaddy at 12:18 PM on May 22, 2003

and that it would be hard for police to arrest anyone wearing one."

Only if its bullet proof.
posted by a3matrix at 12:20 PM on May 22, 2003

whatever, nay-sayers -- the coolness factor of this jacket exceeds any practical reservations you might have.

i'm buying two.
posted by fishfucker at 12:33 PM on May 22, 2003

For the record, the here is more information. It appears that the arc points on the shoulders are only meant as a visual cue to warn off attackers, the effective 'hot zone' covers most of the jacket including the sleeves and the back.

Also, since it needs to be both armed and activated, i doubt joaquim scenario would happen, though it's certainly not impossible.

As to weather or not gloves would protect you, they won't protect you from a stun gun (unless they are specifically insulated against electric charges) but this doesn't seem to have the same output as a stun-gun so who knows.

And unlike a stun gun or a tazer, it doesn't seem to provide enough of a jolt to disable an attacker, but maybe the idea is that the surprise of getting zapped would provide the wearer a chance to flee.

Personally, i think it looks pretty cool.
posted by quin at 2:21 PM on May 22, 2003

Blarg, that should read: the original site, here, has...

It's what i get for editing without previewing.
posted by quin at 2:24 PM on May 22, 2003

I always throught pulsing electricity or laser optics in a jacket
Saw it allot with the club kids years ago.
posted by thomcatspike at 3:08 PM on May 22, 2003