Mobile Technology

Yellow Jacket case sets iPhone to stun

Yellow Jacket case sets iPhone to stun
The Yellow Jacket combines an iPhone case and a 650 kV stun gun
The Yellow Jacket combines an iPhone case and a 650 kV stun gun
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The Yellow Jacket combines an iPhone case and a 650 kV stun gun
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The Yellow Jacket combines an iPhone case and a 650 kV stun gun
The business end of the Yellow Jacket iPhone case/stun gun combo
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The business end of the Yellow Jacket iPhone case/stun gun combo
The business end of the Yellow Jacket iPhone case/stun gun combo
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The business end of the Yellow Jacket iPhone case/stun gun combo
The stun gun electrodes are located on the top of the case
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The stun gun electrodes are located on the top of the case
The Yellow Jacket iPhone case and 650 kV stun gun combo
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The Yellow Jacket iPhone case and 650 kV stun gun combo
The 650 kV stun gun is triggered by a button on the side
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The 650 kV stun gun is triggered by a button on the side
The prototype Yellow Jacket iPhone case
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The prototype Yellow Jacket iPhone case
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View gallery - 8 images

When former military police officer Seth Froom became the victim of an armed robbery it prompted him to create one of the most interesting iPhone cases to hit the market to date. This case, known as the Yellow Jacket, not only offers protection for your phone, it also has the potential to protect your personal safety and well-being thanks to its built-in 650 kV stun gun.

Froom actually had a stun gun and firearms in his house on the night he was attacked. However, all he had within reach when the armed robber entered his home was his cellphone. The stun gun he owned was designed - for the means of easy concealment - to look like a cellphone. After his ordeal, he looked from the stun gun to the phone case and an idea was born. Froom took his creation to crowd funding site Indiegogo and has now raised more than $85K of US$100,000 goal and plans to go into production.

The Yellow Jacket features its own built-in battery which provides the juice necessary to fend off any would-be attacker. The battery also acts as a backup for the iPhone, granting up to 20-hours of additional standby time. Safety was a major concern for founders Seth Froom and Sean Simone. With this in mind, they implemented two layers of protection to prevent users from accidentally shocking themselves while trying to make a phone call; a safety switch that must be engaged before the device is capable of stunning and an electrode cap designed to prevent accidental physical contact.

The 650 kV stun gun is triggered by a button on the side
The 650 kV stun gun is triggered by a button on the side

The creators also had to think about how quickly someone under attack would be able to pull the device out and use it on an assailant. It only takes a couple of seconds to flip back the electrode cap and hit the safety switch. When compared to the time it would take for someone to reach into their bag and pull out pepper spray or a standalone stun gun, this could be the difference between life and death.

As would be expected this device will make your phone a little bulkier. It requires its own battery to deliver the 650 kV of stunning power and this battery adds some weight and size to your device. According to the Indiegogo page, the device is comparable in size to an Otter Box Defender. The case is 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, adds 3/8 of an inch (0.9 cm) in height and virtually nothing in width. The case weighs in at about 4 ounces (113 g), which almost doubles the weight of the iPhone. But there's bound to be a tradeoff for adding a stun gun to the equation ... and it's still a lightweight when compared to Marudai's bullet-stopping monster.

The prototype Yellow Jacket iPhone case
The prototype Yellow Jacket iPhone case

The first run of Yellow Jacket cases are designed for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, but Froom and Simone are looking at making Yellow Jackets for the upcoming iPhone 5, the HTC Evo and the Samsung Galaxy. One thing to note before contributing to the campaign is that the device may not be legal where you live, and you'll need to check your local regulations before purchasing a stun gun, whether it's attached to an iPhone or not.

The final version of the Yellow Jacket case is expected retail for US$125 and be available in a choice of black, white or pink.

Sources: Indiegogo, Yellow Jacket

View gallery - 8 images
5 comments
5 comments
Dawar Saify
It should have a remote activator, to activate when it's in the assailants pocket, by some phone number or code. Few people think of resisting at the time and then even fewer are fluid to use it in that situation, because of panic. Always best to be well built from the start as these people are least attacked.
TheRogue1000
The robber was armed. To do him any damage, you need to get close to him. Froom had arms, but they were out of reach. Therefore, the arms were useless. Such weapons should *always* be close to hand.
Emerson7
The problem with this stun gun is the same with most. You have to press a button into the unit with one finger for it to operate. Look at the picture above with the hand holding the unit. That's a very loose and exact grip. You want something you can grip with your whole hand so it can't be knocked away easily.
I jog da mean streets at night with a Double Trouble stun gun. Gripping it activates the unit, and it sounds like a thousand electronic machine guns going off. The Blast Knuckles thing is too big and flimsy.
nutcase
Be very careful answering your phone!!!
kellory
I like the overall idea, but forget about air travel, and things could go very badly if it malfunctioned while at the wheel of the car.