[extropy-chat] peaceful weaponry

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Kevin Freels <cmcmortgage at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Simply put, guns are not for scaring and they are
> not for killing. They are
> for stopping. If a weapon other than a bullet is
> even invented that will
> just as reliably stop a 280 lb attacker that is
> running at me from 20 feet
> away, I will use it. Otherwise, I will keep to
> packing my .40 cal EAA
> Witness.

Which is a challenge many people have tried to
address.  I've heard varying reports of success or
failure - e.g., the taser either can or can't reliably
stop people, there are experiments in directed energy
to stun people but no actual deployments even years
after successful lab tests, and so forth.

I wonder if it'd be possible to create a
quick-dissolving but temporarily strong foam, such
that it is easy shattered after several minutes, but
for the minute or so after it deploys (spreading foam
over at least a meter diameter from point of impact -
which is hopefully close to your target's feet), even
that 280 lb. attacker would be stopped?  (Buying time
'til the police arrive, but that's usually exactly
what you need.  If you need more time, shoot again,
but do take a moment to make sure it's actually an
attacker, and not a loved one getting a midnight snack
or something.)