How Does a Taser Work?
A TASER is one of a few non-lethal weapons that are increasingly being used in place of weapons that deliver lethal force because they can be used to end disruptive or dangerous situations without causing permanent injury or death. A Taser is a device that shocks an attacker from a distance without you having to be in direct contact. The weapon uses an electric charge that causes the assailant to temporarily lose control over their muscles. This effect on the muscles is known as neuromuscular incapacitation. These non-lethal weapons are often used by the police during altercations to prevent injury.
To deliver the electroshock effect to the intended target, the TASER works differently than a stun gun. Instead of having to be close enough to an assailant to keep the device in contact with the skin, a Taser shoots the electrodes out and away from the device. A charge of compressed nitrogen shoots two electrodes from the device. It propels them in a similar way that a paint gun shoots paint pellets. After the electrodes have been shot, the air cartridge has to be replaced. The new cartridge posesses a new set of electrodes for the next time the Taser is used.
The electrodes attach to the clothing of the target and deliver the electroshock. They remain attached to the main device with small wires that deliver the current. The electrodes are designed to help them to attach to clothing more efficiently. This keeps them in place long enough for the current to be delivered.
Once the current is delivered, the effects of the TASER are temporary. The intended use is to end a conflict rather than to cause any injury or ongoing incapacitation in the assailant.
