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Thor Shield serves as a defense against a stun gun attack

We've all seen what happens when a human is hit by a stun gun. Taser guns work by shooting two electrodes into the body that form a circuit to transfer 50,000 volts of electricity. The shock is powerful enough to immobilize an individual instantly.

A company called G2 Consulting has developed a successful counter to these stun weapons. Thor Shield is made from a polyester fabric which is bonded with a conducted material. As a result, Thor Shield effectively loops the electricity back to the source. CNET.com writes:

Because Thor Shield is conductive, it can complete the circuit with probes without having the electricity pass through an individual's body. In a video submitted by G2--and not independently tested by CNET News.com--Greg Williams, G2's other co-owner, takes a jolt to the head from a stun gun but remains unfazed. He is wearing a cap made of the material, according to G2. He also remains nonchalant in a Thor Shield windbreaker after being repeatedly zapped.

G2 plans to sell the material to law enforcement agencies and the military only -- civilians need not apply. Law enforcement agencies have already contacted G2 in regards to the Thor Shield as there have been recent incidents where officers have had their stun gun taken by criminals and used against them. Officers wearing uniforms or vests made out of this material would be able to neutralize the possible threat.

Not surprisingly, Taser has declined to speak about the matter to either DailyTech, G2 or CNET.

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Boy
By Cullinaire on 4/6/2006 2:56:03 PM , Rating: 2
Would it be naive of me to think that criminals would have an easier time getting these than cash strapped police units?




RE: Boy
By Furen on 4/6/2006 3:00:51 PM , Rating: 2
Any criminal that can purchase this kind of item on the black market will probably not be stopped by a stun gun anyway. As long as it doesn't become dirt cheap there shouldn't be much of a problem.


RE: Boy
By Ralph The Magician on 4/6/2006 3:01:13 PM , Rating: 3
Not only that, but why would a LE officer want to wear this? Did I miss something, of have criminals started trading in their 9mm handguns for tazers?


RE: Boy
By Griswold on 4/6/06, Rating: 0
RE: Boy
By ninjit on 4/6/2006 3:06:37 PM , Rating: 2
I expect they'll build the fabric into a shell for their existing body armour (kevlar vests etc.), seems like the most cost effective way to include the new protection


RE: Boy
By AndreasM on 4/6/2006 4:33:21 PM , Rating: 3
Isn't that redundant? Unless the needles in a taser are capable of piercing kevlar, there is no way to deliver the shock anyways.

But incorporating this in uniforms would sound likely, unless it weighs a ton.


RE: Boy
By covertbit on 4/6/2006 3:14:12 PM , Rating: 2
Well, i will kindly instruct you to read the article again. The author said that there have been instances where the criminal got ahold of a cops stun gun and used it on the cop. This would effectively stop all that.


Video
possible use for electricians?
By tobrien on 4/6/2006 3:34:28 PM , Rating: 2
does anyone else thing this stun gun shield might be useful for electricians? or maybe developing one that's even better that could possibly be used by power company workers when they're sent out to repair a damaged power line or something?

I don't have much electrical knowledge (I can do basic to intermediate stuff), though, so maybe my idea wouldn't work.

but hey, if we can produce something that can stop a stun gun, it's only a matter of time before better versions of it come out, right?




RE: possible use for electricians?
By Souka on 4/6/2006 3:51:09 PM , Rating: 2
Probably not.... Where and when would it be used?

AC main power lines pump way too much current and voltage for such a suit to handle.... often poeple/critters that touch two wires catch on fire.

Home AC isn't much of an issue with a little common sense...long sleeve shirt, no metal jewelery exposed, and gloves you should be pretty well protected. Now working in wet conditions with the power still on....well, yer an idiot! :)



By timmiser on 4/6/2006 5:06:13 PM , Rating: 2
Heck with wet conditions, doing ANY electrical work with the power still on falls into the "idiot" catagory.


RE: possible use for electricians?
By FoxFour on 4/6/2006 3:51:53 PM , Rating: 2
I suspect it would be difficult to develop a material like this that could handle the amperage in the applications you suggested.

Tasers use high voltage but low current. Electricians are more often dealing with lower voltages and higher current (residential & small commercial) or high voltage *and* high current (industrial & power company). A suit like this would probably be incinerated by a large current.



By tobrien on 4/6/2006 4:03:32 PM , Rating: 2
ahh that's true, the high voltage, low current is what I forgot about.


By DigitalFreak on 4/6/2006 4:04:41 PM , Rating: 2
Please test your theory and report back to us.


RE: possible use for electricians?
By sevendust62 on 4/6/2006 4:08:00 PM , Rating: 2
As others say, AC would probably overcome the protection offered by the suit.

But hey, a suit like this couldn't hurt, could it? At least, it's a concept for researchers to think about, I suppose.


By armagedon on 4/6/2006 5:22:49 PM , Rating: 2
the parade exist already for electricians. The purpose is NOT to conduct electricity. High insulating materials like rubber or plastic gears stop the current from flowing.

So actually wearing a rubber vest, assuming that it's cannot be pierced by the darts render a stun gun useless.


jack bauer
By abhaxus on 4/6/2006 4:19:44 PM , Rating: 2
if only jack bauer had worn this anti-taser suit in last week's episode of 24...




RE: jack bauer
By spindoc on 4/6/2006 4:33:03 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah but truth boy shocked him right in the neck. Unless the suit was a turtle neck...


RE: jack bauer
By abhaxus on 4/6/2006 5:35:21 PM , Rating: 2
ahh yes. i guess that explains how a stun gun took down jack bauer anyway. i highly doubt he could be beaten by a mere 50,000 volts :O


RE: jack bauer
By Wwhat on 4/6/2006 5:40:02 PM , Rating: 2
turtleneck eh, french version maybe? ;]


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