First-ever ‘smart gun’ with fingerprint and facial recognition unlocking system hits the market

[mcb]

Except for when the company issues a firmware update.

Why then? You could load the firmware from an isolated network or hard media. Or for that matter never update the firmware at all if you don't trust it. At some point you have to trust the product and company or not. If you don't trust a firmware update you probably should not trust the gun/company and vice versa.

Again just because it has a micro processor, is biometriclly locked, and runs software does not automatically make it anti-2A or pawn of the State. This has a much potential to do positive things for the pro-2A side as the anti-2A side. This is general concept of software and fire by wire is part of the future and the side that embraces it and tames it first is going to have an advantage in the ongoing 2A debate.

Some day we will have that "phased plasma rifle in the 40 Watt range" of similar energy weapon and having fire by wire and weapon software already figured out and bent to our side will be important. Yes I realize that is way out on our future.

 

[MEHavey]

Again just because it has a micro processor, is biometriclly locked, and runs software
does not automatically make it anti-2A or pawn of the State. This has much potential to do
positive things for the pro-2A side as the anti-2A side. This is general concept of software
and fire by wire is part of the future and the side that embraces it and tames it first is going
to have an advantage in the ongoing 2A debate.

`Fraid not.

Flip-of-the-switch to disable is the inevitable objective,
and easily foreseeable endgame.
If it can be done,
it will be done.

Ignore at one's peril.....

,

 

[kwguy]

It seems to me that the mechanisms of unlocking the weapon (facial recognition and fingerprints) would be more reliable in a rifle, simply because of the more regimented way a rifle is held. Since a pistol can be held in different “offhand” ways, this may affect its reliability.

just a thought

 

[mcb]

`Fraid not.

Flip-of-the-switch to disable is the inevitable objective,
and easily foreseeable endgame.
If it can be done,
it will be done.

Ignore at one's peril.....

,

Open source fixes all those problems.

 

[MEHavey]

Pray tell how open source code solves the problem....

 

[Aim1]

Additional new article:




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/science...aunch-1-500.html?ito=native_share_article-top

 

[MEHavey]

I'd like to laugh... but it's too seriously
considered by folks who have no clue.

 

[mcb]

Pray tell how open source code solves the problem....

If you have access to all the code you know exactly what it does and how it does it. If you don't like a feature you removed it. If you want a feature you add it. Being able to code is a big asset but not required if you have "friends" that do. There is enough pro-2A people out there that can code to ensure that we would have an OS that did not have any kill switch or similar backdoors.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

The company said there is no wireless connection to the gun.

From the company's FAQ on the Biofire
Does the Smart Gun connect to the internet?
No, your Biofire Smart Gun does not connect to the internet or to any other wireless network. The Smart Dock can connect to your home Wi-Fi, but only if you opt-in to doing so. You do not need to connect any Biofire product to the internet for it to function for its full lifetime.

Remember if it does have a backdoor wireless connection the computer gurus (that are 2A friendly) will find it and make it know widely. This is something they will not tolerate. Also remember that the computer gurus/3D printed gun community is going to have a field day with this system. This will be the first self loading fire by wire gun on the market and the only difference between it being a biomarker lock semi-auto and a completely unlocked full-auto is going to be the software it is running. I have little doubt there will be an open source operating system for this hardware within a few months after it hits the market.

If you think the ATF made a mess of bump stocks and pistol braces, wait till you see what they do with software driven firearms.

While I agree that this is not something that 2A friendly people will tolerate, the problem isn't with the private company. It's with the government who WILL seek to legislate both the technical capabilities AND criminal sanctions for those who defeat them.

And they'll seek to make those criminal sanctions felonies, because nothing screws up a person's RKBA like the government hanging a felony conviction on them.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Oh...and as for company features:

Absent legal protections for consumers, companies can do whatever they wish with their products...even if they have previously stated they will or will not do such-and-such.

We see this all the time with respect to those pesky "Terms of Use" companies like to put out. With unknown features and capabilities which play havoc on people's privacy and gather information without them knowing.

 

[MEHavey]

If you have access to all the code you know exactly what it does and how it does it. If you don't like a feature you removed it

- And what part of the general population has such smarts -- at the source code level?
- And if removed -- what legal ramifications is the owner facing when the "smart" feature is mandated?

Troops, this whole concept is fraught with unintended consequence -- at least by those who actually buy into it.

.

 

[mcb]

While I agree that this is not something that 2A friendly people will tolerate, the problem isn't with the private company. It's with the government who WILL seek to legislate both the technical capabilities AND criminal sanctions for those who defeat them.

And they'll seek to make those criminal sanctions felonies, because nothing screws up a person's RKBA like the government hanging a felony conviction on them.

When Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed demonstrated the first functional (minimal as that was) 3D printed pistol and openly shared the plans and files needed to print it on the internet, the government tried to shut it down and criminalize it. The failed on both accounts and in fairly spectacular ways on the first point. Trying to control the software for a fire-by-wire pistol once a base-line open source OS is out there is going to be equally difficult to stop.

- And what part of the general population has such smarts -- at the source code level?
- And if removed -- what legal ramifications is the owner facing when the "smart" feature is mandated?

Troops, this whole concept is fraught with unintended consequence -- at least by those who actually buy into it.

.

There are heaps of people out there runninging a huge variety of computer system with open source software, from home PCs, to phones, to DVRs, to vehicles. In many cases they are doing so to circumvent big corporate and even governmental controls. Most of them never write a line of code they simple get code (compiled or not) from trusted sources and configure it to their needs.

My ability to write code it pretty crude but I was able to take my bench top milling machine converted to CNC control and run it on completely open source software under the open source Linux operating system. Plugging driver and software packages in as need to control my particular mix of hardware. Never wrote a line of code just plugged into the right community and they help point me to the right bits and pieces of code and software I needed to make my system run the way I needed/wanted. Open source firearms software will no doubt follow a similar model, assuming the hardware is there. A core of hardcore coders sharing their work with less capable coders and then on out to the greater group of uses and dabblers. This community if broad enough ensures that no one person can control it or incorporate any broadly nefarious code simple because the rest of the community finds it and weeds it out.

I do agree with your last statement. If this product is successful there will be lots of unintended consequences. I just think more of those consequences are going to break in the favor of the 2A than against it.

 

[desmobob]

If this product is successful there will be lots of unintended consequences. I just think more of those consequences are going to break in the favor of the 2A than against it.

When it comes to our government and the 2A, I expect the worst-case scenario. And they never seem to let me down. To me, the potential for very bad developments from this kind of product greatly outweighs the very good. Risky...

 

[theotherwaldo]

As a general rule, any object or system that can be abused for someone else's profit or gain of power or prestige will be so abused, sooner or later... .

 

[mcb]

As a general rule, any object or system that can be abused for someone else's profit or gain of power or prestige will be so abused, sooner or later... .

That sword cuts both ways, we can take that same system/technology and twist it to our benefit.

 

[FAS1]

'It has the ability to have an incremental, immediate impact that sidesteps a lot of the gridlock politically,' Kloepfer believes.

This statement is all that you need to know. This company has survived by political investors that know how to use this technology to "sidestep" the 2A as soon as it's available. Keep in mind that biometric handgun safes are already accepted as a storage standard by the masses, especially the younger crowd.

The only gridlock is anti-gunners trying to remove a constitutional right, otherwise there is no gridlock. They will simply make smart guns mandatory as the next step, thus not infringing on your 2A rights since there are handguns available to citizens. It's coming, and sooner than you think.

 

[AlexanderA]

Why are we even debating this? It's a bad, bad idea.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

When Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed demonstrated the first functional (minimal as that was) 3D printed pistol and openly shared the plans and files needed to print it on the internet, the government tried to shut it down and criminalize it. The failed on both accounts and in fairly spectacular ways on the first point. Trying to control the software for a fire-by-wire pistol once a base-line open source OS is out there is going to be equally difficult to stop.

The government failed THEN.

They will not, however, give up. The government NEVER gives up when it comes to gathering power for itself and limiting the power of the people. It's inherent with government.

If they do not succeed from one angle of attack, they will try another angle.

 

[DeepSouth]

If this product is successful there will be lots of unintended consequences. I just think more of those consequences are going to break in the favor of the 2A than against it.

It seems to me, as this is fairly new technology. The Government could ban any benefit and mandate every negative, you know, for the children.

 

[Jimfern]

I can't even get my thousand $ phone to recognise my fingerprints half the time.

I register my ring finger b/c I beat up the index fingers because I'm a klutz.