SC-401 stun cuffs were manufactured by Locris Syndicated Securities. Constructed of reinforced durasteel, SC-401 stun cuffs consisted of two circular cuffs that could be opened and secured by a magnetic lock that were joined together by a restraint bar. A rotation joint at each end of the restraint bar allowed each cuff a degree of movement. The unit incorporated traits from the most successful designs of standard binders and magnacuffs. They looked nearly identical to standard binders, and many prisoners could not tell the difference between the two designs.
The cuffs were adjustable, allowing them to fit the wrists or physiologically similar appendages of nearly any species, ranging from Ugnaughts to Gamorreans, and were strong enough to restrain a Wookiee. Sensors built into the cuffs registered if the prisoner was straining against their bonds or attempting to remove their hands. The cuffs would then automatically tighten against the wearer's wrists. Persistent attempts would result in the cuffs cutting off circulation to the hands, or in extreme cases, crush the prisoner's wrists.
The cuffs' restraints and locking mechanism were reinforced by channelling magnetic fields through them using a . This process effectively tripled the strength of the durasteel. Each cuff was lined with stun filaments that were capable of releasing a paralyzing jolt of energy through stun panels when activated by a remote control unit. The energy has a variable setting; on lower levels, the stun blast caused the prisoner to experience pain as a means to get them back in line or to cooperate. On higher levels, the stun blast could paralyze the prisoner's arms, or render the prisoner unconscious. The magnetic field and stun filaments were powered by an internal power pack.
The SC-401 was controlled by a remote control unit, and each unit could be linked to, and send instructions to, forty pairs of stun cuffs, allowing a single controller to effectively oversee a large number of prisoners. The unit incorporated a keypad and a readout screen, and had a broadcast range of fifty meters. The remote allowed the cuffs to be programmed in a variety of ways. Functions included setting tension control that allowed an acceptable level of movement and resistance from the prisoner before the cuffs automatically tightened; the level of intensity of the stun changes; and even an option for the cuffs to automatically shock a prisoner if they moved more than ten meters away from the controller unit. Opening the cuffs required the input of a seven-digit master code into the control unit, and the command codes could be reprogrammed as needed.
Each cuff had an access panel built into it that could be flipped up to reveal identification panel and setting controls. A pair of the cuffs cost one hundred credits, and a remote controller unit cost five hundred credits.
SC-401 stun cuffs were used by law enforcement agencies and bounty hunters to restrain prisoners. They were also used by the security forces stationed aboard the Galactic Empire's DS-1 Orbital Battle Station.
- The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
- The Official Star Wars Fact File9
- Arms & Equipment Guide
- The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology