Shocking Clothing

harmonics writes "This is absolutely hysterical, it seems a "No-Contact Jacket" has been developed for women by MIT. This thing carries enough voltage to knock you on your duff (80,000 volts), and is decently stylish too. Now to find out how I can get my wife one. Just don't wear it in the rain!" The real question is whether the submitter knew the origin and full meaning of the word "hysterical".

Comments

Re:Duh ...

[stratjakt]

It's both.

There's enough amperage in a AA battery to stop your heart, but not enough voltage potential for it to travel from one fingertip to another.

By the same token, 50 amps at a couple picovolts wouldnt do anything either.

That 300mA at 80,000 volts could kill you, because the current could then reach your heart or cause your diaphragm to convulse.

People with weak hearts or other conditions could easily be killed by one of these. Thats why Tasers are illegal in many places.

I see nothing but trouble the first time some helpless little old lady brushes against one of these chicks in the subway and winds up dead.

I dont know if a prosecuter would look like walking around with a garment on thats potentially lethal to anyone who touches it would count as "reckless disregard for human life" or "negligence".

Completely illegal in MA, and hence, at MIT

[SuperBanana]

Maybe the MIT boys shoulda thought of the fact that they're now in posession of an illegal item. From a self-defense-widgets store's "where you can legally have the stuff we sell" page:

Massachusetts State Law. Ann. Laws of Massachusetts. Chapter 140. Sale of Firearms. Section 131J: Sale or possession of electrical weapons; penalties. Section 131J. No person shall sell, offer for sale or possess a portable device or weapon from which an electric current, impulse, wave or beam may be directed, which current, impulse, wave or beam is designed to incapacitate temporarily, injure or kill. Whoever violates this provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than two years in a jail or house of correction, or both.