title: 40-Hz square-wave stimulation requires less energy to produce muscle contraction: compared with the TASER® X26 conducted energy weapon.
abstract: Conducted energy weapons (CEWs) (including the Advanced TASER(®) X26 model produced by TASER International, Inc.) incapacitate individuals by causing muscle contractions. In this study using anesthetized swine, the potential incapacitating effect of primarily monophasic, 19-Hz voltage imposed by the commercial CEW was compared with the effect of voltages imposed by a laboratory device that created 40-Hz square waves. Forces of muscle contraction were measured with the use of strain gauges. Stimulation with 40-Hz square waves required less pulse energy than stimulation with the commercial CEW to produce similar muscle contraction. The square-pulse stimulation, at the higher repetition rate, caused a more complete tetanus at a lower energy. Use of such a simple shape of waveform may be used to make future nonlethal weapon devices more efficient.
authors.affiliation: General Dynamics Information Technology, 3650 Chambers Pass, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Comeaux
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jauchem
authors.forename: D Duane
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Carrie C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057667:Conducted Energy Weapon Injuries; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D013552:Swine; D054041:Weapons
keywords: Sus scrofa; TASER; conducted energy weapon; electromuscular incapacitation; electronic control devices; forensic science; muscle contraction