Fleeing drivers are a common problem for law enforcement. Existing traps, made from elastic, may halt a Hyundai, but they're no match for a Hummer. In addition, officers put themselves at risk of being run down while setting up the traps. Imaginative design and engineering funded by the Small Business Innovation Research Office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has resulted in the Safe Quick Undercarriage Immobilization Device, or SQUID. The 1.5-foot-wide disc was conceived and developed by Engineering Science Analysis Corporation (ESA) of Tempe, Arizona.
When closed, the current prototype resembles a cheese wheel full of holes. When deployed, it becomes a mass of tentacles entangling the vehicle's axles. "SQUID was inspired by a sea creature and a superhero," says ESA president Martin Martinez. Like its oceanic namesake, SQUID ensnares its prey with sticky tendrils. Like Spiderman's webbing, these tendrils stretch to absorb the kinetic energy of their fleeing target. A SQUID prototype safely stopped a 35 mph pickup truck, but before SQUID can be marketed, law enforcement officers need proof that it has the fiber to stop a 5,000-pound vehicle speeding at 120 miles per hour.
