TransluSense targets tactical applications

SANDPOINT — If you were asked to think of the perfect firearm accessory, an iPhone probably wouldn’t top the list.

Nevertheless, the folks at TransluSense are set to accomplish just that with the new Inteliscope iPhone and iPod app and accompanying attachment.

The Inteliscope is designed to give perfect precision, tactical tools and communication options to military, law enforcement and shooting enthusiasts alike. In an age of smart phones, smart televisions, smart cars — smart everything — the Inteliscope brings the “smart” approach to firearms scopes.   

 “Actually, ‘SmartScope’ is one of the names I tried to use, but someone had already taken it,” TransluSense CEO Jason Giddings said.

Best known for the innovative Cleartouch keyboard soon to go into production, TransluSense is taking quite a departure from the product that put them on the map. The primary accessory is a sturdy composite-reinforced polymer mount designed to attach to any firearm fitted with Picatinny or Weaver tactical rail. An iPhone or iPod snaps securely into the mount, where the device’s position can be adjusted or switched into portrait or landscape mode. The mount, meanwhile, is designed to absorb recoil from gunfire and keep the iPhone or iPod safe.

“There’s a lot of impact every time you pull the trigger, so this has to be built very strong,” Giddings said.

Of course, there’s not much point in attaching an iPhone to a firearm, unless you’re bizarrely keen on chatting with your buddies or firing off some “Angry Birds” while operating a high-powered weapon. That’s why the TransluSense folks pair the mount with the Inteliscope app. This software can provide the shooter with essential information about their target and environment. It’s like having a video game heads-up display mounted to the rail of your firearm.

For starters, the Inteliscope is a fully-functional short-range scope with the capability for 5x digital zoom. Thanks to the iPhone gyroscope, the crosshairs can calibrate to shifted positions, providing the shooter with accurate targeting in any situation. SWAT team members, for example, can even shoot around wall corners without exposing themselves to enemy fire.

What’s more, the Inteliscope app provides a host of other useful information. Environmental factors that can influence accuracy, like local prevailing winds, can appear on screen. The app has a built-in compass and GPS position for navigation, and users can record video from their perspective — a useful tool for reviewing police training exercises. It can even use the iPhone flash as a flashlight or a strobe to disorient enemy combatants in dark environments.

On the lighter side, the mount and software features also work for many Airsoft and paintball guns, giving a key advantage to the hardcore sport enthusiast.     

After the release of the first generation product, Giddings said his company aims to improve the software and hardware based on feedback from customers, military and law enforcement. For example, they’re interested in adding an optical attachment that would increase the effective scope range from 100 yards to 500 yards. In the future, the app could also prove valuable for SWAT tactical leaders, who could issue orders based on Inteliscope data collected by the command and control center.

According to Giddings, he and his colleagues are finalizing production arrangements and are prepared to begin selling the accessory and mount next month. Intrigued individuals can pre-order an Inteliscope at www.inteliscopes.com for $69.99. The crew expects to sell about 5,000 units the first month and 10,000 a month after the initial launch.

“We’re really proud of our work, and of course we’re thrilled to offer a product designed and assembled here in the U.S.,” Giddings said