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Posted: 6/28/2001 9:11:43 AM EDT
Taurus International Partners With the New Jersey Institute of
Technology in a 'Personalized Weapons Technology' Research and
Development Project

[url]archive.nandotimes.com/newsroom/prn/archive/data/062701/prn0543.html[/url]

MIAMI, Jun 27, 2001 -- Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.
(www.TaurusUSA.com) announced today that it has partnered with the
prestigious New Jersey Institute of Technology (www.NJIT.edu), in the
pursuit of "Personalized Weapons Technology" which will provide user
identifiable firing controls for firearms. Sometimes erroneously
referred to as "Smart Gun Technology" the NJIT has been working on this
project for some time.

Photo:
[img]http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010105/FLF004LOGO[/img]

In a presentation recently made to the State of New Jersey Legislature,
NJIT made the following observations:

   *A personalized weapon with an automatic authentication system that
allows discharge of the weapon only by an authorized user has not yet
been developed for consumer usage.

   *However, biometric technologies have matured sufficiently to enable
creation of such a weapon.

   *Researching, developing and implementing the technologies for such
a weapon to meet reliable automatic authentication requirements will
take a minimum of three years at an estimated cost of at least $5
million.

   *Gun manufacturers lack the resources to create a personalized
weapon.

As a result of these observations, NJIT requested and has received
approval to create a public/private R&D partnership to ensure
competitive commercialization of a personalized weapon.

Forjas Taurus has been researching user-identifying technology for over
two years. At this time, the product is still sensitive to environmental
factors, power source levels and can only "identify" one user. With this
in mind Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc., of Miami, Florida, has
enthusiastically agreed to join with NJIT in this partnership to make
strides as quickly as possible to achieve the creation of a biometric
solution to this perplexing problem.

At the historic signing of this R&D partnership, Taurus International's
Executive Vice President, Robert G. Morrison, made the following
statement:

Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:12:31 AM EDT
[#1]
(continued)

"We are taking this bold step to partner with NJIT due to their
realistic and well researched position in this matter. Their studies are
very convincing and point up the requirement for an R&D partnership with
commercial gun companies who have neither the resources nor the
laboratories that equal those found at this august institution. After
reviewing their recommendations and findings we agree that we can
cooperate to bring about an early and reliable solution to the
'Personalized Weapons Technology' requirement. It is our position that
once this technology is discovered, we can then apply it to firearms and
create a safer product for use by our customers."

NJIT Vice President, Dr. Donald H. Sebastian, said, "We are delighted
that Taurus International will join us in this monumental effort.
Creating this R&D partnership will allow us to more aggressively pursue
the creation of this meaningful solution to a perplexing safety problem.
A company with the size and breadth of Taurus is exactly what we had in
mind when we made the partnership recommendation to the New Jersey
Legislature. Taurus is well known for their leadership and aggressive
pursuit of advanced technology in the firearms industry. With their
support and our advanced resources we will undoubtedly progress together
to the betterment of society and the safe and practical ownership of
firearms in general."

Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc. is a leader in the handgun
business.

The New Jersey Institute of Technology is recognized widely as one of
the leading engineering universities in the world.

Copyright © 2001 Nando Media
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:16:20 AM EDT
[#2]
SO are we going to have to boycott them too for even talking about it? Them and smith are the only people that make the revolver I want so....I guess I could even buy a S&W if I had to buy it from evil.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:17:39 AM EDT
[#3]
suprising, i thought tarus would be one of the last to go
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:19:05 AM EDT
[#4]
Its CYA ...the big corps and companies are just preparing for what they see as inevitable...just not right.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:41:00 AM EDT
[#5]
It's the only smart thing for the gun industry to do...don't wait until it's required by legislation.  "Sure, we're as concerned as you about the need for a 'smart gun' and are working on one now.  We won't release it until it works as needed."  That means they can take three, four, five years to get it right.  Only those familiar with firearms can get it done right.  The legislative efforts will only force crap down our throats.

Boycott Taurus?  Why?  They haven't made one deal with a liberal, anti-gun government!  I don't see that Taurus has "gone" anywhere.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 9:49:06 AM EDT
[#6]
I'll NEVER buy one.
But you can bet that as soon as this technology is developed there will be a Federal law making it mandatory on all newly manufactered guns.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 10:26:36 AM EDT
[#7]
"IT'S BUSINESS!" They're not caving to anyone! Due to the lawsuits being filed against gun manufacturers it would be stupid not to show an effort to make "smart" weapons! Since they then can present that in court as showing they are a responsible company! Besides it would be stupid not to invest in technology to make new or improved products! If you don't you go out of business! To put it another way, the politicians who don't know jack s*it about weapons are saying they want to buy "smart weapons" if Colt or Sheiss and weezin come up with it first it leaves any company who didn't make such a weapon out in the cold!
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 10:34:54 AM EDT
[#8]
If you act like you are making a smart gun the anti crowd will leave you alone.  Look at colt.  How long have they been developing their smart gun?  I bet we never see it.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 10:44:14 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
If you act like you are making a smart gun the anti crowd will leave you alone.  Look at colt.  How long have they been developing their smart gun?  I bet we never see it.
View Quote


Agree, fist you have to develop it, then you have to convince law enforcement and the military its reliable enough for them to adopt. After they say its reliable THEN I"m ready to buy it.

If it can't get through the law enforcement / military gauntlet Congress would be in the awkward position of trying to impose an unproven technology on the good citizens of this country.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 10:48:39 AM EDT
[#10]
Ahhh. New Jersey and Taurus......Perfect together!!
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 10:56:20 AM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:

Agree, fist you have to develop it, then you have to convince law enforcement and the military its reliable enough for them to adopt. After they say its reliable THEN I"m ready to buy it.
View Quote


That will be a moot point as civilians will be mandated by law to use these guns (working or not) and military/ law enforcement are ALWAYS exempt.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 12:24:10 PM EDT
[#12]
Shit. By the time you guys get through with your boycott list, you won't have anyone left to buy from. Have fun.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 2:43:39 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Shit. By the time you guys get through with your boycott list, you won't have anyone left to buy from. Have fun.
View Quote


Good point Rik [8D]

BTW - I don't see anyone here advocating
boycotts of Chinese , or Eastern European
AKs - because of their past abuses of Human
Rights. [rolleyes]
 
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 3:14:21 PM EDT
[#14]
As soon as womenz stop boycotting me, I will stop boycotting colt.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 3:17:38 PM EDT
[#15]
The PRK will probably soon have a law requiring all guns sold by 2004 be "smart guns".  Taurus is a business, and I wish them luck. They see the writing on the wall, and it would be a shame if another manufacturer went out of business.  Personally, I don't want to trust my life to a gun less reliable than the ones I have now.  I think it will be a long time before they achieve 99.9999% reliability of this technology.  
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 4:12:46 PM EDT
[#16]
I, too, look at this as a business venture. Not a "caving in" to anyone or anything.

Look at the history of firearms.

There has been no significant improvement since the invention of centerfire, brass cartidge cases. All of our autoloading designs are based on 100 year old technology.

The most recent advance was caseless ammo. The 'need' for it passed and with it the funding. So caseless ammo faded away.

At some point in the future, consumers will want, and demand, 'smart-gun technology. The manufacturers will need to respond or be left behind and wither.

This WILL happen. What should not happen is the government mandating the technology and all the strings to go with it.

This is, of course, my opinion and the way I see things.
Link Posted: 6/28/2001 4:17:07 PM EDT
[#17]
Aw crap, anything related to NJ is tainted somehow--mark my words!  Sorry for you guys on the board that live there.  Just personal experience talking here.

Sounds like taxpayer dollars funding at least part of the project.  What a disgrace!

Maybe time to throw some money Rossi's way.  Their revolvers suck in comparison though...
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