Targamite Tech Hitting The Mark

The research will be incorporated into Targamite's next generation of TARGABOT products.

A Fort Wayne-based robotics company is seeing success with its robotic, random-behavior target used for firearm training. Targamite LLC says it has sold out of its first run of Targabots, and is working on new versions of the platform using artificial intelligence.

Targamite was founded in 2014 through a partnership with Elevate Ventures and independent investors. It debuted the target system at SHOT 2015, a trade show for the shooting, hunting and outdoor accessories industry in Las Vegas. The company says its users include the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. 

Chief Executive Officer Gary Kaufman says the new platform will use artificial intelligence to allow the training devices to "sense the user" and respond with evasiveness and aggressiveness. In a release from Targamite, Kaufman said, "When we network multiple Targabots and they collectively share data about the trainee, that person quickly develops responsive skills that translate into enhanced decision-making in the field. This state-of-the art training tool can save lives."