SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Manufacturers are looking into new sensor and biometric technology to restrict gun use to the owner.
They're called smart guns. When placing a sensor ring on the gun, it shoots. Without the ring, the gun can't fire.
It's part of technology designed so only the authorized user can fire the weapon. Another design uses biometric technology that recognizes your grip.
"One of the major designs is where it accepts either a fingerprint or a thumb print so it will release the firing pin or the trigger area so that it can fire, so if it doesn't recognize it, it won't allow the gun to fire," says Santa Maria gun shop manager Joe Degeus.
Making it useless, if the gun were to fall into the hands of a child or a criminal.
"It is kind of like James Bond," says Degeus. "But you got to remember, with technology comes the opportunity for more mistakes."
Gun owners say it sounds good in theory but argue the technology is lacking.
"If that system jams up or if we have a problem with it, I'm in a bad situation," says gun owner Joshua Miller. "Because the criminal that's coming at me--he's not going to have any limitations so his gun's going to fire every time."
So far only patents have been made and it's still a long way before this kind of technology hits the market.
"The technology is not there for us to actually be able to install it or use it yet," says Degeus.
The White House has called for pushing ahead with this kind of technology as part of the president's plan to reduce gun violence.
