This article presents summary findings of two product evaluations conducted by the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ’s) Office of Science and Technology.
Sandia National Laboratories conducted testing of the DielectroKinetic Laboratories (DKL) LifeGuard and the Myotron “Checkmate.” The U.S. Department of Energy requested the testing of the DKL LifeGuard, which is marketed as a human presence detector and tracker. The double-blind testing produced a success rate of 6 out of 25 attempts, which is considered the equivalent of guessing. The Myotron “Checkmate” Pulse Weapon, marketed as a less-than-lethal personal protection device, was also tested to determine the accuracy of the manufacturers’ claims. The evaluation results refuted several manufacturer claims, including the claims that it delivers over 10,000 bursts and is more than 10 times as powerful as the average stun gun. Contact information is provided.