A Taser is a less-lethal conducted energy weapon designed to temporarily incapacitate individuals by delivering an electrical pulse. Understanding its electrical properties involves looking beyond simple voltage numbers to grasp how these devices function as a temporary control measure.
Taser Voltage Explained
Tasers operate with a high initial voltage, typically 50,000 volts or more. This “open-circuit” or “peak voltage” is produced before contact. Its purpose is to allow the electrical charge to arc across an air gap, penetrating clothing or skin and establishing an electrical circuit.
Once the electrical current reaches the body, the voltage delivered is significantly lower than the initial open-circuit voltage due to the body’s electrical resistance. For many models, the voltage delivered into the body is around 1,200 to 2,000 volts. Some newer models, like the TASER 10, deliver less than 1,000 volts to the body.
The Crucial Distinction: Voltage vs. Current
Understanding how a Taser affects the body requires distinguishing between voltage and current. Voltage represents electrical potential difference, similar to water pressure in a pipe. Current, measured in amperes, is the actual flow of electrons, analogous to water volume. While high voltage initiates flow, current primarily determines the physiological effect.
Tasers deliver high voltage but very low average current, typically 1.2 to 4 milliamperes (mA). This current comes in short, rapid pulses, often around 19 per second, each lasting approximately 100 microseconds. This high voltage for penetration and low, pulsed current disrupt muscle control without a sustained, high-energy electrical discharge.
How Tasers Affect the Body
Tasers achieve incapacitation through neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI). Electrical pulses override the central nervous system’s ability to control voluntary muscles. Taser signals interfere with natural brain-to-muscle transmissions, causing widespread, involuntary muscle contractions.
This involuntary muscle contraction leads to temporary loss of motor control, making movement or balance difficult. The effect is immediate but temporary, lasting only as long as electrical pulses are delivered. It differs from pain compliance, which relies on localized discomfort to gain control.
Safety Considerations of Taser Use
Taser design incorporates several principles to ensure their classification as a less-lethal device. The low average current delivered into the body is a primary factor in minimizing serious injury risk. Pulsed delivery and short duration of the electrical discharge, typically a five-second cycle, also contribute to safety.
These engineering choices aim to temporarily incapacitate an individual without causing lasting harm or significant tissue damage. The electrical pulses are specifically tailored to disrupt muscle function rather than to create heat or damage cells, which would be associated with higher, sustained current levels. This design focus supports the device’s intended purpose of temporary control.