Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

The barbs penetrate the skin though.

And even so, at 300KOhms, that's still 167mA!

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

I just did. The crucial difference seems to be that he took one probe in each hand (and penetrated the skin). This means that the current would have passed (internally) from one hand to the other, passing through the heart on its way. If you break skin with a taser the current will take the shortest route between the prongs. The current may well exceed the 100mA needed to stop your heart, but it won't pass through the heart as it is extremely unlikely that it will be located on the shortest route. In fact, you'd probably have to taser the heart directly to get that effect.

Rule #1 when playing with currents. Don't ever hold a live wire with one hand whilst holding on to grounding with the other hand.

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

Ok, that was my thinking too, so bummer if they spread apart/deflected sufficiently then!

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

I'm not sure how tasers work actually. They fire little 'darts' that are connected to the taser and the current runs between the darts presumably?

Edit:

Wiki

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200...45dbed5_1.html so we are going to trust em with tazers as well?? :erm:

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

The Taser seems to work on a variety of levels, including neuromuscular incapacitation and shaped-pulse technology. More from the Taser website can be found here: http://www.taser.com/research/techno...s/default.aspx

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

You would be surprised how many times someone has a ND ( Negligent Discharge) in the force's and we give them far bigger weapons than a taser :D

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

Well, it mitigates the effect of negligent discharge :D.

But, to be serious :(, negligent discharges happen - in the forces, it happens, in the police, it happens; guns, bullets, humans, forget the safety catch, have one in the breech - negligence happens. It doesn't mean we should ban armed police because one shoots himself; that would be like banning traffic cops because one speeds.

Could have been worse - could have hit a civvy passing by.

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

I still say "Give them the Goddam taser's NOW" :D

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

I bet the lad who got put in the bin (and was put through the mental anguish of looking like a idiot - if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, it's probably a ......) wouldn't have been so lippy if the copper had been carrying a taser..... ;)

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

Or worse even, he could have shot himself in the foot. :D

I'll get get my coat. :)

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

I'm guessing that the taser has some sort of inverter oscillator (like a 555 IC) that switches pulses into a step-up transformer, and then perhaps a stack of diodes to form a voltage quadrupler. ie. A bit like a line output stage in a television only miniturised.

This will current limit itself and not be able to provide much current due to the huge load that would be placed on the battery source, and the limitations of the switching device and transformer windings etc.

I'm guessing that perhaps its short circuit output capability is not more than 10mA or so???

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

A very worthy volunteer methinks, it's a pity that I can't find the video on YouTube of the incident, apparently it was on there earlier

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/6980867.stm

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

Another Chief Constable gets taser'd here:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....s_a_taser.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIFl0q8dF1c

Re: Fears over Taser gun expansion
 

Do you all get a turn at being tasered or is it strictly reserved for the bosses, could act as an incentive for them as well, don't give them Knighthoods for cutting crime, just don't taser them anymore