Technological Options for User-Authorized Handguns: A Technology-Readiness Assessment

Misuse of handguns is a significant factor in deaths, morbidity, and crime in the United States. One approach to reducing certain types of handgun misuse is to create a user-authorized handgun (UAHG), a firearm that can be operated only by an authorized user(s). Technological Options for User-Authorized Handguns clarifies the technical challenges of developing a reliable UAHG. This report determines the requirements and specifications of UAHGs for those concerned with public and/or personal safety, and identifies technologies that could satisfy these needs.