From new to old, some of the gun safety features over time

Daytona Beach, Florida-based iGun Technology Corp. has been developing a "smart gun," a firearm that uses a ring with a chip in it to send a signal to a circuit board embedded in the firearm so that only an authorized user can fire the gun.

Kai Kloepfer received a grant from the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation to develop the technology, which would fire the handgun only when it recognized a finger placed on the grip.

Many firearms include "trigger guards," the casing that loops under the trigger, and a "safety" switch that, when engaged, prevents the gun from firing, for example.

Other companies still use a grip safety, including the iGun Technology shotgun that also includes a programmable ring that sends a signal to the firearm to discharge.

Authorities said a 4-year-old boy in Florida was in the back seat when he shot his mother, who was driving, with the .45-caliber handgun.

In a crisis, the gun owner needs to have confidence that it's a reliable weapon of defense — that it works and works instantaneously.

While the gun lobby has reservations about the reliability of the technology, it contends it is not opposed to people looking to develop a smart gun.