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TrackingPoint Smart Rifle
The TrackingPoint rifle makes use of a built-in laser rangefinder, a ballistics computer and a Wi-Fi transmitter to stream live video and audio to a nearby iPad for immediate posting to the Internet. You'll probably want to post the video, since you (almost) can't miss.
The TrackingPoint rifle uses the XactSystem, which automatically adjusts for a variety of factors, including Range, Temperature, Barometric pressure, Spin drift, Wind input, Cant, and
Inclination.
You decide on the target, and pull the trigger; but the TrackingPoint rifle decides when to shoot.
(TrackingPoint Innovations: Networked Tracking Scope video)
"Think of it like a smart rifle. You have a smart car you, you got a smart phone, well, now we have a smart rifle," says company president Jason Schauble. He says the TrackingPoint system was built for hunters and target shooters, especially a younger generation that embraces social media...To operate the PGF [Precision Guided Firearm], the shooter...
When the reticle and tag are optimally aligned, the Networked Tracking Scope releases the guided trigger. As long as you can tag it, you can hit it.
- Paints the target with the tag to lock on
- Watches as the tag persists, regardless of relative movement
- Aligns the reticle with the tag to produce the firing solution
- Squeezes and holds the trigger to arm the system
Most of the smart weapons envisioned by sf writers have enough intelligence built into the "bullet" to infallibly reach the target (that is, the "smart bullet" approach). For examples, see the the mechanical hound from Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 (used unique scent characteristics), the mechanical cobra from Roger Zelazny's 1967 novel Lord of Light (ised unique encephalogram pattern) and the smart bullet from Michael Crichton's 1985 movie Runaway (used the unique heat signature of a person).
From TrackingPoint via NPR.
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