Ouch!

An Israeli company with headquarters in Toronto says it recently briefed Army researchers on a wireless, electric bullet that causes muscle spasms painful enough to make you fall over, but not die. Security Devices International Inc. says its Lektrox nonlethal ammunition is being designed to instantly incapacitate targets from up to 60 yards. SDI says its team briefed officials at U.S. Army Research and Development Command at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. during the first quarter of 2007.

SDI has a somewhat grisly video of the patent-pending Lektrox on its Web site. Unfortunately, I can't download it, but it's the first thing you'll see on their site. It works by affixing itself to the target with a miniature harpoon, thus activating the built-in "Wireless Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology," that is similar to technology used in stun guns. SDI isn't clear on just how the Lektrox affixes itself to the target, but since the company is claiming that it causes no serious injury, I'm thinking maybe it just latches onto the target's clothes. The projectile also has a collapsible head that enlarges the surface area of the ammo to absorb some of the impact.

Lektrox includes two varieties: a 37/38mm and 40mm designed for use with standard riot guns, 12-gauge shot guns and M203 grenade launcher. The company says it is moving to "clinical tests" next month, which sounds like safety testing but it's not clear.

I know nonlethal weapons are in demand, but how many different varieties of pain-inducing weapons do we really need? There are already stun guns, rubber bullets, pain rays and I read recently in the Danger Room that the company that Peak Beam Systems is modifying it's spotlight technology to create a version that causes temporary paralysis. Is this just a matter of scientists wanting to know "what if," or is there really a requirement for 20 different types of debilitating weapons?

It's too early to know if the mini-harpoon-wielding Lektrox will make it's way into the hands of U.S. soldiers. SDI was founded in early 2005 by Elad Engineering, Israel, and all research and development is conducted in Israel.

--Catherine MacRae Hockmuth

Comments

[nick]

Catherine you raise a good question regarding the number of different ways that scientists and engineers are coming up with to inflict pain at a non-lethal level. I think part of the incentive to do so is that despite the various ways, there are actually very few that have been used. There are many systems in testing, but that's where these systems have languished, in testing and I think companies are trying to come up with the solution that is effective and also palatable to finally get sent to the field rather than back to the lab. My case in point is the Active Denial System after years in development and saying that this would be deployed in Iraq, it's still not there.

[Sean Meade]

my feelings exactly, nick. we have to keep developing them until we get one or a few that will fit the bill.