BACtrack is a San Francisco that makes breathalyzers for police and anyone else who wants to keep track of their intoxication level, but thanks to a recent grant from the National Institutes of Health it has come up with a new wearable monitoring device.

Like a Fitbit for booze, the Skyn device detects alcohol in a more discreet way than stuffing a tube into one’s mouth and blowing. It allows users to track their own consumption both in semi-real time (a bit of a delay for the alcohol to get processed and manifest in sweat) and, more importantly: over time in general (versus a one-time blow), to analyze drinking behavior and intoxication as a function of duration as well as intensity.

Among other things, Skyn can warn you if you’re drinking too much to drive, or let a family member or friend know (via alerts) if you’ve broken a personal sobriety pledge. BACtrack’s transdermal alcohol sensing prototype device is made to be subtle and cool, something people will want to wear – they considered anklets and other placements, but wrists gave the best real-time monitoring and seemed most convenient to users.

The prototypes was submitted to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a division of the NIH that ran a Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge in search of a non-invasive monitoring wearable. Other entries included a color-changing tattoo and various wrist-mounted devices. The gadget is now waiting on FDA approval before starting pre-orders.

The post Cold Sweat: Wristband Wearable Measures Blood Alcohol first appeared on Gajitz.

If your New Year’s resolutions included ‘consume more booze, but not alone’ this may be the mechanical friend for you, though be careful: he could well drink you under the table.

Developed by a South Korean inventor, Park Eun Chan, this may be the world’s first alcoholic robot. Named Robot Drinky, it acts as your companion while you toss back shots, beers or whatever you drink of choice may be.

It will even clink glasses with you, aside from, of course, pouring liquids down its own artificial gullet. As a bonus: when you are all done for the night, your robo-friend’s glass stomach can be turned back into more drinks for you, or for him the next time ’round.

The post Lonely? Robotic Drinking Buddy Clinks & Drinks With You first appeared on Gajitz.

Some countries have strict laws against biking while drunk, but here in the US that’s left up to the individual states – and the policy is notoriously ambiguous. Japanese company KOOWHO may not be able to clarify the cycling while drunk laws where you live, but it can let you (and a friend) know when you’re too tipsy to pedal home.

Most people look at cycling as a safer alternative to driving when they’re drunk, and in a way they’re right. Since you aren’t driving a couple tons of hulking mass, you’re more likely to hurt only yourself if you crash on a bike. But there are still plenty of good reasons to hoof it or call a cab after an evening of imbibing.

Alcoho-Lock is a bike lock that will only open up and let you ride home if you can prove you’re sober enough to bike safely. You blow into it, just like the alcohol-detection devices that unlock a car’s ignition system. If it judges you too impaired to bike, it will still open up for you – but it will also notify a friend or family member.

The notification is made through the proprietary app; when you first get the Alcoho-Lock you set up a person to notify in case of drunken cycling. The idea is that the friend will either talk you out of riding your bike or offer to come pick you up. At around $300 US, it’s a rather expensive way to stay safe that requires a lot of discipline on the part of the user. Still, if it can keep a few people from eating asphalt (and maybe a few others from being ticketed) it seems like a solid idea. The Alcoho-Lock is available for preorder here.

The post Sober Cycling: Bike Lock Won’t Let You Pedal Impaired first appeared on Gajitz.

Any alcohol aficionado will attest that ice cubes melting into your cup of 20-year-old Scotch will put a big frown on your face. There’s no reason to chug it just to avoid the disappointment of diluted liquor, though. A very cool concept from designers Seung Hwan Roh, Chan Jae Joh, Yeon Ho Chu and Na Rae Park could chill your drink without the need for ice.

The Chilling Sip Stick is a digital straw that cools your drink as you sip it. The electronic device includes a cooling panel in the front side of the bottom end. As the liquid flows through the cooling panel, it lowers in temperature, making it tastier without watering down your delicious beverage.

The designers don’t offer up much information about how the stick actually works, but they call it “self-rechargeable.” They envision it as a possible marketing tool that corporations can brand with their information and logos to spread brand awareness. No matter how it works, we’re eager to get our hands on a pack of them.

The post Hi-Tech Straw Cools Your Booze Without Watering it Down first appeared on Gajitz.

Going out with friends is one of the most fun and memorable parts of college life, but unfortunately it can also be quite dangerous. When alcohol or other substances are involved – or when you’re in an unfamiliar place – the danger increases many times over. An intoxicated person can easily get separated from their group and wind up alone or at the hands of someone who means to take advantage of their altered state.

Vive was created by a group of students at the University of Washington in collaboration with SARVA (Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists). The sensor-rich wristband was designed to keep young people safe in alcohol-fueled environments without hindering their ability to have fun.

The Vive concept contains a transdermal alcohol sensor and a dehydration monitor to keep track of the wearer’s intoxication level and detect when he or she is getting dangerously dehydrated. An accelerometer and gyrometer can sense danger-indicating motions such as falling down or passing out.  But the wearer doesn’t have to be aware of their own situation in order to summon help. The Vive connects to the wearer’s smartphone via Bluetooth, and from there connects to the user’s personal social network.

The connection is made by tapping the wristband to the user’s phone, which brings up that person’s Facebook profile. Then the user and everyone else in his or her group sync their wristbands by tapping them together. This sets these people as a safety group – people who will be notified of one another’s well-being throughout the evening.

Every once in a while, each person’s Vive gives a little wiggle, reminding them to check in with the group and ensure their companions of their safety. If someone fails to answer the check-in request, the rest of the group is notified and can then go looking for the missing member of the party. Likewise, if anyone gets too drunk, too dehydrated or too horizontal, the rest of the group gets notifications.

Throughout the evening, every wearer can tap wristbands with interesting new people to add them as Facebook friends later. This adds to the social aspect of the wristband, making it appear less about safety and more about having fun. The designers have yet to present a prototype, but they have brilliant plans for how the Vive can be used to increase safety while not hindering the fun, as they detail in the video above.

The post Wristband Helps Friends Keep Each Other Safe on Nights Out first appeared on Gajitz.