Biofire Technologies recently emerged from stealth with the launch of its Smart Gun. The 9mm handgun uses fingerprint and facial recognition biometrics to make sure only authorized users can fire it, according to the company. Designed for home defense, the company said the Biofire Smart Gun is the first and only biometric firearm on the market.
The Smart Gun implements Biofire’s Guardian Biometric Engine, which uses fingerprint identification and 3D infrared facial recognition technology to unlock the device. Biofire said in a statement that users can still unlock the firearm when wearing gloves or a face covering but that it is designed to ensure it can’t be used by children, criminals or non-authorized users.
Biofire said the Smart Gun also has a secure, portable Smart Dock with a touch screen that allows the owner to add and remove trusted users from the device. The gun is powered by a rechargeable, removable lithium-ion battery and can be personalized.
“Biofire’s approach is totally novel. We’ve applied high-precision engineering principles to make a meaningful impact on preventable firearm deaths among children. No one had tried that before. As a result, Biofire is now offering the most technologically advanced consumer firearm the industry’s ever seen,” Kai Kloepfer, CEO and founder of Biofire, said in a statement. “This is a new era in firearm safety driven by ambition and optimism, motivated by the idea that we can in fact help save people’s lives.”
Biofire said in the statement that its Smart Gun has been undergoing “extensive durability and live-fire performance tests to optimize it for manufacturing.” The firearm is now available for pre-order, and Biofire is expected to start fulfilling orders in early 2024. The gun will ship to customers through the same ATF transfer process required of all traditional firearms, the company said in the statement.
Based in Broomfield, Biofire is a firearm technology company and has raised $30 million to date, including a $14 million Series A round back in November. The company was founded in 2016 and is actively hiring for several operations positions in addition to engineers and developers.
