Remember the big ol’ pulse rifle that Sigourney Weaver used to kill xenomorphs in the movie Aliens? Well, imagine if she’d been using an equally-nasty squirt gun instead. Chances are, it would have looked something like the water-bullet-shooting Spyra One.
Developed by a Munich-based team of engineers and designers, the Spyra One uses its electric pump to suck 750 ml of water into its pressurized tank, from whatever source is handy. It does so at the touch of a button within a claimed 14 seconds, utilizing an integrated filter to keep gunk particles in lake or river water from getting in.
With each pull of the electronic trigger, it subsequently releases that pressurized water in the form of individual 30-ml bursts known as “water bullets.” Each bullet is about 60 cm long (2 ft) as it travels through the air, and can reportedly hit targets located up to 7.5 m away (25 ft). According to the device’s creators, the bullets make a satisfying short “splat” when they hit, unlike the longer streams of water delivered by regular squirt guns.
One fill is good for 25 bullets, each one of which is shot with equal force regardless of the gun’s water level – a pressure of 35 psi (2.4 bar) is maintained within the tank. A digital display shows users how many bullets they have left, plus it indicates the lithium-ion battery’s charge level. A single 6-hour charge is said to last for at least 45 fills, or 1,125 shots.
The whole gun, with a full tank, tips the scales at 2.3 kg (5 lb).
If you’re interested, the Spyra One is currently the subject of what’s turning out to be quite a successful Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of €99 (about US$115) will get you one – when and if they reach production – with €189 ($220) required for a set of two.