“I hope people will see the TASER 10 as an effective tool to save lives. I also hope they recognize its appearance makes a bold statement that symbolizes its safety and strength for the community.”

-Elliot Ortiz, Senior Industrial Designer, Axon

Axon is proud to announce that the TASER 10, Axon’s latest generation less-lethal energy weapon, has been selected as a 2023 GOOD DESIGN Award winner in the category of Safety and Security.

The GOOD DESIGN Awards, now in their 73rd year, were created to “honor both products and industry leaders in design and manufacturing that have chartered new directions for innovation and pushed the envelope for competitive products in the world marketplace” [SOURCE]. Since inception, more than 50 nations across the globe have participated in this world-renowned program.

About the TASER 10

TASER 10 is the first TASER energy weapon to utilize a magazine with ten reloadable, single-probe cartridges. Featuring an overhauled propulsion system, each cartridge has a maximum range of 45 feet, nearly double the range of previous models. Each cartridge can be individually targeted and [deployed] to allow users to place each probe with precision.

The challenge of good design

To build trust in the TASER 10, the team knew the design had to be, for all intents and purposes, flawless from the customer point-of-view.

“The first step was to understand the needs of the professionals that use these [weapons] in the field,” recalled Elliot Ortiz, Senior Industrial Designer. “We talked to law enforcement officers, security professionals, and previous TASER customers to get in-depth real world feedback, statistics and stories. It’s important to know what’s going on in an officer’s head during these high stress situations when the deployment of a TASER [weapon] might occur.”

Elliot shared that the primary goal for the TASER 10 was to make a less-lethal weapon that could effectively stop threats in more situations than ever before.

Although the TASER 10 is the same size as its predecessor, the TASER 7, the weapon features ten cartridges as opposed to two, and can be used at almost double the range. This gives officers more time and distance to de-escalate critical situations without moving to lethal force.

In addition to ensuring the weapon could function at a higher level than any less-lethal weapon before, the team also knew that for officers to truly feel comfortable using the TASER 10 in high pressure situations, the weapon needed to be simple to use.

“We focused on making the TASER 10 simple, robust and more intuitive for officers...One of the biggest hurdles was developing a TASER energy weapon officers trusted to use in dynamic situations where traditionally they would go for a firearm.”

“We developed hundreds of prototypes and got them into the hands of professionals. Every detail, from the smooth contour of the iron sight — the graphic design of live cartridges on the LCD display — to the added ribbing on the sides, needed to be carefully considered.”

Why were all of these seemingly small design features so critical? “Tackling these means the [weapon] won’t catch on a holster, be mistaken for loaded or unloaded, or slip in sweaty hands. The minutiae of design details like this are what we face when challenged with creating something like the TASER 10.”

Trustworthy, effective, intuitive

The three words Elliot would use to describe the final design of the TASER 10? Trustworthy, effective and intuitive.

“Designers will often use flowery words and symbolism to evoke a feeling about an object, so I’m obliged to say the TASER 10 is a compact, ergonomic, intuitive TASER [weapon] that exudes confidence and professionalism through the application of rigorously intentional detailing. But for something as demanding as the TASER 10, the design can be summed up in just 2 words: ‘no nonsense’”

In the end, Elliot’s team was able to pull off what some had considered the impossible. “I’m proud to be part of a team that can achieve such a cohesive and effective design. And I’m proud that officers adopted it so quickly. I believe the TASER 10 will save lives, and that’s the number one thing to be truly proud of.”

The new TASER 10 was also a Featured Finalist in the Social Impact Design category at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA).