Gun ownership in America is polarizing issue and one that seems to be facing a very slow path to solution. And by solution, I mean finding a way to cut down on gun-related deaths without changing legal gun ownership rights. I can't speak for all moderates, but I'm a firm believer that guns do kill people (which isn't always the issue, but they also tend to kill the people next to the people the shooter is aiming at) and that we do have a right to bear arms.

Something has to give.

When a situation reaches this point, and the industry with the R&D money (the gun industry in this situation) refuse to step up, that industry is ripe for disruption. As we move into the future, these disruptions are really what will create the future and how we'll use, own and feel safer around firearms.

Let's start with some current data on firearm interest, crimes and deaths:

So we'll stick with figures and what the future of gun ownership might look like:

• In the last 10 years, National Instant Criminal Background Check System counts are up 54%. (Forbes) This shows a rising trend in America towards interest in gun ownership or at least more purchases.
• In 2007, it is listed that 89% of Americans own a firearm. (Wikipedia)
• As reported via FactCheck.org in December of 2012:
  
  • Gun murders: 11,078 in 2010 (down overall)
  • Nonfatal gun injuries, assault: 55,544 in 2011 (up overall)
  • Gun aggravated assault: 138,336 in 2011 (down overall)
  • Gun robbery: 122,300 in 2011 (down overall)
  • Gun suicides: 19.392 in 2010 (up overall)

If each incident is counted individually (I'm not certain how this data was compiled), there are roughly 350,000 murders, assaults, robberies and suicides involving firearms per year (the numbers are from different years, but we can estimate for this article). It is important to note not every incident can be limited by new technologies. Suicide prevention can be reduced with less firearms, but suicide can take many forms.

CNET's Daniel Terdiman visited the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation press conference to look at ways the million dollar challenges might innovate safer guns ownership and reduce the numbers above. The Smart Tech Challenges Foundation has four challenges they will roll out in 2014 with the first, Smart Tech for Firearms, already accepting applications.

The four challenges are:

• Smart tech for firearms: Creating technology that reliably authorizes approved use—and blocks the unauthorized use—of firearms and associated munitions systems.
• Smart tech for big data: Finding solutions with big data & predictive analytics—including optimized law enforcement patrol routes and gunshot detection.
• Smart tech for brain health: Finding solutions with big data & predictive analytics—including optimized law enforcement patrol routes and gunshot detection.
• Smart tech for community safety: Fostering community & school safety, including crisis response telecoms solutions, improved first responder systems, and crowd-based alert networks.

Together, these do seem to cover the range of issues we face in a country where gun ownership by law-abiding citizens and criminals remains high. If successful, these challenges could help create a future where guns remain available to US citizens, but the damage they cause is both limited and off sufficient risk to criminals that the use or even ownership of firearms is less attractive than today.

Depending on your political viewpoint on gun ownership and safety, do you believe these challenges can help create a future where both sides can be happy? It would require gun deaths and other crimes to be drastically reduced. How much reduction would we have to see before an agreement could be reached?