Firearms & knives
In most cases, guns are stored inside a safe that can be biometrically protected.
Some specific safes also exist, mainly holsters.
But it is also possible to directly protect the use of the gun itself, either with an integrated protection, or an add-on to lock the trigger.
See also the grip recognition modality, where some research is done especially for guns.
Ammonition may be directly protected (not the gun itself).
(2022) And now, even a knife !
Guns
- (1995) Sandia National Laboratories received a $620,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice to develop a weapon that can be fired under all kinds of conditions--but only by people it recognizes.
- (1996 May) Smart Gun Technology Project Final Report / Douglas Weiss.
- (2003) Nic van Zyl made a gun prototype integrating a fingerprint sensor. Here is an IOL article (2003). Has started in 1999.
- (2003) Michael Recce from the New Jersey Institute of Technology describes a behavioral biometrics called Dynamic Grip recognition for guns.
- (2008?) BDR Group made a gun prototype.
- (2010 Jan) Armatix unveils the SmartSystem using a FingerChip AT77C104 sensor.
So it took 9 years from the concept to the first real product!
- (2010) Sun Xiaotian re-invented the fingerprint gun (via TuVie), but it's only a design.
- (2014) Kai Kloepfer was awarded a grant of $50,000 to develop a firearm with a sensor that would require an authorized user’s fingerprint in order to fire the gun. Beretta Px4.
- (2018) Kai Kloepfer creates a start-up: Biofire
- (2015) Kodiak Intelligun, $399.
- (2015) SGTi Safe Gun Technology proposes to retrofit guns (via IndiGogo).
- (2022 Jan) Lode Star showed the LS9, a smart gun prototype.
Biometric Ammo
- (2015) Clipfort / Daniel Biran proposed biometric ammo.
Trigger
- (2005) Ritech RT5300 trigger lock
- (2015) Sentiln Identilock (scheduled Jan 2016).
- (2017 Sept) Sentiln Identilock is released.
- (2015) Veri-fire Guardian (here on a Glock).
- (2019) Bison fingerprint trigger lock.
Holsters & specific safes
- (2002) The Pro ID holster from Michaels of Oregon (Uncle Mike's) was using a sensor from Fingerprint Cards. No more available.
- (2002) Hand Gun Base Station from First Safety Devices using a Bioscrypt module with an Authentec sensor.
Knives
- (2022) The Solo Blade by Solo Secure is a knife billed for security professionals with a steel blade that extends when the user’s thumbprint is authenticated, and then retracts automatically to prevent use by anyone else.