So, every Shabat (Friday evening to non-co-religionists), I have a wonderful dinner. Which I share with even more wonderful friends. Different friends each week.

The one constant- we enjoy wine with our dinner. Malbec. Petite Syrah. Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Viognier. Lots of it. Which always means my guests stay late. To ensure that they can safely maneuver home.

Which also brings up an interesting development.

Do you know that the National Institutues of Health has a unit called the NIAAA- the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism? And, that it had a challenge- the Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge- with a first prize of $ 200K. Now, there’s an interesting use of Federal money.

This challenge was aimed to find something to replace the breathalyzer devices. Because they are incapable of continuous monitoring. Because their results can be skewed by mouthwash.

The goal was to develop a wearable device that can yield continuous results- and whose results would not be skewed by mouthwash or various gums and mints taken by the user to shield one’s true BAH (blood alcohol level) from the device. The winner of that competition was a company called BACtrack, which offers a bracelet type device. Keith Nothacker is the founder and CEO for the firm. Right now, the prototype (Skyn) is in development- but they hope to sell the device for under $ 100. Right after that introduction, they want to develop a modification to have the device work in concert with the Apple Watch.

BACtrack notifies a spouse, one’s sponsor at Alcoholics Anonymous- or parole officer via Bluetooth, when it discerns the subject is ‘over the limit’.

And, while this one did not win the NIAAA prize, there is a competing device. One being developed by Drs. J. Kim, I. Jeerapan, S. Imani, T.N. Cho, A. Bandodkart, S. Cinti, P.P. Mercer, and J. Wang. These USCD professors provided their unit’s results in ACS (American Chemical Society) Sensors. in an article entitled Noninvasive Alcohol Monitoring Using a Wearable Tattoo-Based Iontophoretic-Biosensing System.

The device uses what they call a removable electronic tattoo. It monitors your sweat and transmits the information via Bluetooth to a smartphone or car-based device (via Bluetooth signals). It requires a small amount of pilocarpine (a treatment for dry mouth) to be applied topically, which induces the body to exude sweat.  The sweat is then analyzed by their electrodes (in the tattoo) and provide results in some 15 minutes.

Now, you should know this USCD tattoo require a 1 inch long circuit board. While it is flexible, they do hope to make the unit much smaller. And, they hope to make a version that works all day, not just on time.  Right now, they have determined that the tattoos cost about a quarter.

The tattoo just collects the sample, while that flexible, inch-long circuit board processes and relays the data. But Joseph Wang, one of the project scientists, says that the reusable board will  be made much smaller with some additional engineering. He adds that the disposable tattoos will cost just pennies to produce, and his lab is working on a version of the system that works all day.

Eventually both of these devices will be modified to work with the car- the one you planned to drive. Unless, of course, the monitor feels you are too inebriated, and the ignition will be locked up. Or, bartenders could use the devices to know when it’s “time”- the time to cut you off.

Big brother is not only watching- he’s getting better at it!

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