When everyday devices become autonomous and start mating in the far future thanks to nanotechnology, items like fire extinguishers will become what designer Adam Scott has envisioned with the X Sting Wish. Mixing one part Dustbuster, one part machine gun, and a final part carbon fiber-wrapped fire extinguisher, Scott has managed to cook up a device that looks as at home in a kitchen as it would in Gears of War made real. There are even side-mounted LEDs for night missions. So, why make a lifesaving device like the fire extinguisher so, well, weapon-y? As the mock-ups reveal, it’s all about easy recognition in an emergency situation. Apparently, when fire strikes, people are more apt to reach for their shotguns than that red cylinder marked “FIRE EXTINGUISHER.”

And I think this next image best describes the point Scott is trying to make with his concept:

We simply cannot be trusted with today’s fire extinguishers. We need guns, and we need them now. [Adam Scott via Nexus 404]