By Douglas Page
Sight
for sore eyes
Novel gun
accessory A s any expert marksman
who spends much time
around a rifle range knows, lining
velocity and direction are calculated
correctly, even if ambient tempera-
ture and mirage factors are consid-
provides relief up a shot longer than a fe w tens of ered, and even if one doesn’t get the
from the limits of meters with a scopeless weapon is yips when the trigger is eventually
the human eye easier says than done. Even if wind squeezed, chances are the shot
32 Law Enforcement Technology ■ August 2010 ■ www.officer.com
Sight
for sore eyes
won’t come close to the b ull’s-eye providing a single miniature optical domestic law enforcement and
all that often. The reason is not in element that greatly improves the national security implications,
the wind. The reason is hidden in speed of target acquisition and since it could improve both firearm
the physiologic limits of human hit probability. safety and performance by provid-
eye sight. “MicroSight is an innovative ing an enhanced sight picture —
Sharpshooters, including police gun sight technology that seeming- important considerations for police
SWAT officers, combat infantry ly transcends the laws of physics by marksmen and combat snipers —
soldiers, and even weekend target simultaneously imaging two objects where the ability to quickly acquire
shooters, need clear, simultaneous at different focal distances,” says a target and deliver accurate fire
views of two separate objects, one INL mechanical engineer David is imperative.
near and one far — the ir on sight Crandall, who developed Weekend target shooters and the
at the end of the rifle barrel and the technology. occasional game hunter may also
the target off in the distance. The new sight could have benefit; every year, far too many
The trouble is, the human eye people die after they are accidently
is incapable of focusing on both shot by hunters who fail to
objects at the same time. This can properly identify their target. In
be easily illustrated by a simple the United States alone there are
experiment. If you point at an more than 35 million hunters and
object across t