Taser-proof clothing

Just found this earlier today, http://boingboing.net/2014/03/06/make-taser-proof-clothing-with.html

A group of people using carbon fiber linings in clothes to protect themselves from tasers and stun guns.
I remember reading about a thread on subdermal armor for protection from bullets however I have not seen anything regarding electricity conduction.

I am still learning and just thought to share an interesting idea. What do you guys make of this and any ideas pop up on being able to make this
work for us in some way?


*edit* half my post did not show up

Comments

  • I suspect you could also use metal window screen if you're on a budget.  The carbon fiber is nice because it is not stiff and would eventually poke through whatever clothes you sewed it into.  If you apply a current to your carbon fiber clothing it will warm up.
  • Wouldn't the metal window screen just act in a way of transferring the electricity everywhere? So basically it would hurt less but would be everywhere instead of one spot?
  • It's the same principal as the carbon fiber clothing.  It's a much lower resistance than your skin so the electricity will favor the path through the metal instead.
  • I was under the impression that it was not the same mechanism. The article states that the carbon fiber absorbs the electricity even if the taser needles have pierced the skin. This is different than what would happen if say, one was wrapped in tin foil or metal screen, right? I'm pretty sure the reason its a big ish deal is because it does something different.

    also, I'm looking at that picture of a guy tasing himself and I am almost sure that sticking metal in between that taser and your arm would not contribute to such a calmly framed shot...
  • I'm inclined to think glims is correct here. Even if the carbon fiber has less resistance than the body/skin, some of the current is still likely to be transferred into the body, unless the carbon fiber is extremely conductive, or exceedingly well insulated. You'll also need a ground or something to absorb the current.
  • The thing with teasers is, they produce a short, very high voltage pulse. usually this high voltage between the 2 pins get close to the skin, or in contact with the skin. a spark forms which conducts the current to the skin, through the skin, and out of the skin back to the other needle.
    as TheGreyKnight pointed out, carbon fibers have a low resistance compared to the skin. So most of the current would flow over the carbon fiber instead of the skin. Additionally, the teaser itself is not an ideal voltage source. It has internal resistances as well, may it be from copper wires, or internal resistance from capacitor or coils. All those are non-ideal. If the carbon provides a current path even lower than those internal resistances, the voltage across the pins will drop significantly, causing even less current to flow through the skin. in extreme circumstances the voltage drop so low that it can no longer overcome the surface resistance and no significant current would flow.
    It doesn't really matter if it is carbon fibres, metal plates or whatever. As long as it provides a current path with significantly lower resistance than that of the skin, it'll do the trick.
    Ground is not required, as all the current flows between the 2 pins of the teaser.
  • I would imagine that the clothing itself would be a partial deterrent as it gives less room for the stun gun/taser to be able to fully pierce the person compared to a regular T-shirt that someone might be wearing. From what I have seen most of the clothes that have been altered already look rather thick as opposed to your average attire. I didn't see anything involving some form of alternate grounding and will be on the lookout for that.
  • http://lessemf.com/

    You can get a lot of very conductive fabrics there, stuff well under 1Ohm/sq ft. Some of it even looks pretty normal, so the outfit wouldn't be weirdly thick or padded looking.

    Of course, if someone is attacking you with a TASER, they're not likely to give up if it fails.
  • Awesome, this could be incredibly useful for protest situations. The police love to intimidate people with their tasers, I'd love to wear one of these as a bit of protection.
  • FYI, none of the links in the original article go to actual carbon fiber material, only stuff that looks like carbon fiber.
  • If you're getting shot with a taser it's still gonna really hurt, the style the police use have dart tips that embed in your flesh pretty solidly.
  • The police mostly use the non-shooting darts kind, especially at protests.
  • Well at a protest they'll use rubber bullets or a baton. They're not gonna get close to you and then tase you.

  • All of this largely depends on what kind of environment the situation is. Which police are we talking about? What location? What event? :v
  • This is what I was cautioning against when I said "if someone is attacking you with a TASER, they're not likely to give up if it fails". The police will not go "Oh, he's shielded. Lets pack it up and go home, lads."

    If you're in the US, they will shoot you with bullets, like come from a gun. Iceland and other civilized countries, they probably won't. Less civilized countries, they probably didn't bother with tasers in the first place.

    On the other hand, against a single assailant who is armed with a taser or other stun weapon, this could buy you the time to get away. Beyond that, it's really just amusing/cool, and maybe a liability in thunderstorms.
  • @ringfown
    Cops do have a circle of force.... Presence, taser, baton, mace, lethal that is so you have every chance to surrender. Unless there are shots fired.
  • Refraining from being rude to @ringdown. If you true oh want to avoid the taser don't get tased....but on the off chance you have no choice were thick clothing. the probes will have a harder time getting to your skin and therefore no tasing.

    Also police tasers are not either projectile or push contact they are both.
  • The point is to give you a chance to run away from the person with the taser. They'll be surprised when it doesn't work and then you take your leave of the situation.

    At a protest it would be useful because the police threaten to use their tasers as a way to push crowds back and you can end up on the wrong end of one of them by accident if you're at the wrong place at the wrong time. The scary clicking sounds wouldn't be so scary if I had a jacket that I knew would dissipate the shock.
  • i have heard someone design a item of clothing that if the tasers gets you it sends a electrical impulse back to the taser rendering it un useable. i have seen it in action and its actually a very neat trick. it causes the taser to short circuit 
  • Even on ones that drop the charges?
  • yes. it forces a electrical mulfunction within the handset of the taser
  • That's interesting.
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