TASER is changing its name

As part of its move towards developing new systems such as body-worn cameras for law enforcement and other software, TASER is changing its name to AXON. This is the reason given by the CEO; however, some media outlets also believe that this name change comes at a time of heightened tension regarding the use of this non-lethal weapon. Indeed, there were nearly 400 deaths in the United States between 2001 and 2010. Since 2004, there have been three deaths in France linked to the use of this weapon. Several organisations, such as Amnesty International and the UN, have condemned the use of this weapon, which, although non-lethal, remains dangerous and potentially fatal for certain types of people. As a bit of trivia, the word ‘TASER’ is an acronym for ‘Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle’. Thomas Swift – or rather Tom Swift – is an adventure book hero much admired by Jack Cover, the inventor of the stun gun; however, he added an ‘A’ to make the word pronounceable.