New gun design uses RFID to boost safety
Here’s how it works: a passive (batteryless) RFID tag is embedded in either a ring or a bracelet worn by the gun owner. Encoded to the tag is a unique number that an RFID reader embedded in the handle of the gun is programmed to recognize. As soon as the reader detects the tag, a microcontroller sends a message to a solenoid that is linked to the gun’s safety, making it possible to pull the trigger. “All that works in less than a quarter of a second,” says McNamara. “So as soon as you are ready to shoot, the gun is ready to shoot.”