Abstract: An electronic weapon has an installed deployment unit, from which at least one tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, coupling the electrode to the target, and distributing a current density with respect to a volume of target tissue. An electrode may include conductive material and insulative material. Relatively high electric field flux density at a tip of the electrode may be reduced or avoided by practice of the invention.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, coupling the electrode to the target, and distributing a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue. For an electrode that includes a body and a spear, the spear may be implemented with conductive rings or with materials that include integrated conductive and insulative substances (e.g., conductive fibers in insulative composite material). Relatively high electric field flux density at a tip of the spear may be reduced or avoided by practice of the invention.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering a dosage of a drug to a target use an electrode that may deliver the drug and/or a current through the target to impede locomotion of the target. Delivery of a dosage may be accomplished by selecting one or more electrodes from a plurality of electrodes to deliver the drug or by metering deliver of the drug from one or more electrodes. Delivery of the current may be accomplished by one or more, preferably two electrodes. The electrodes that deliver the current through the target may also cooperate to deliver the dosage of the drug to the target.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, coupling the electrode to the target, and distributing a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue. For an electrode that includes a body and a spear, the spear may be implemented with conductive rings or with materials that include integrated conductive and insulative substances (e.g., conductive fibers in insulative composite material). Relatively high electric field flux density at a tip of the spear may be reduced or avoided by practice of the invention.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one wire-tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, piercing material or tissue at the target, lodging in material or tissue of the target, focusing an electric field prior to ionization or while conducting a stimulus current, forming an ionized path for a stimulus current across one or more gaps, and spreading a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, coupling the electrode to the target, and distributing a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue. For an electrode that includes a body and a spear, the spear may be implemented with conductive rings or with materials that include integrated conductive and insulative substances (e.g., conductive fibers in insulative composite material). Relatively high electric field flux density at a tip of the spear may be reduced or avoided by practice of the invention.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, coupling the electrode to the target, and distributing a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue. For an electrode that includes a body and a spear, the spear may be implemented with conductive rings or with materials that include integrated conductive and insulative substances (e.g., conductive fibers in insulative composite material). Relatively high electric field flux density at a tip of the spear may be reduced or avoided by practice of the invention.

Abstract: An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one wire-tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, piercing material or tissue at the target, lodging in material or tissue of the target, focusing an electric field prior to ionization or while conducting a stimulus current, forming an ionized path for a stimulus current across one or more gaps, and spreading a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue.