After the National Health Institute’s Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge called for a non-invasive blood alcohol level tracking method, the BACtrack Skyn wearable and its partner app have been deemed the best option. The challenge asked for a device also capable of interpreting and storing blood alcohol data, and the wrist-worn BACtrack offers real-time monitoring of alcohol levels, alerting a user’s phone when they are drinking too much.
Since its launch in March 2015, the Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge has tested eight different prototypes that encourage discreet wearables that present better ways to measure blood alcohol content (BAC). Testing factors included accuracy, reliability, frequency of blood alcohol measurements, and ability to transmit data to a wireless device. BACtrack has a history of products related to BAC, having produced smartphone-based breathalyzers and portable breath testers for consumer and professional use.
The BACtrack Skyn, a transdermal alcohol sensor, can register one reading every second. With the help of its electrochemical sensor, the device traces the ethanol molecules that escape through the skin after alcohol consumption. Next, a purpose-made algorithm converts measurements into BAC readings before sending the data to a smartphone, or even a cloud server if the user specifies, for the user to view.
“We want to do for wearable alcohol monitors what we did for breath alcohol testers,” said Keith Nothacker, President and CEO of BACtrack. “BACtrack made breathalyzers low-cost, sleek, and a safety product that anyone can and should use. We have the same vision for BACtrack Skyn.”
For extra safety, users may sync their wearable with the correlating app so that their phone will buzz when they near 0.04 percent BAC. The app may also notify a friend or family member if someone who is meant to be sober has been drinking. However, the product is unlikely to contribute to roadside testing, as transdermal readings lag behind breathalyzer results by at least an hour. It may still have a future in law enforcement by improving current transdermal monitoring methods. Other future uses include assisting scientists in alcohol-related research and simply helping frequent drinkers adjust their lifestyles.
Retail cost of the BACtrack Skyn has not been released yet, but it will sell in limited numbers towards the end of 2016.
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