For social drinkers, a new wearable called Proof may prove to be a helpful accessory. The upcoming Proof wristband, by Milo Sensors, tracks how much alcohol is in a person’s system in order to let them know when they have had too much to drink.
The smartphone-connected wristband essentially does the job of a breathalyzer, but faster and more discreetly. The device, set to become available for pre-order later this year, gives users the ability to view information on their blood alcohol level right from their smartphone.
“When you’re at the end of a drink and have to decide whether or not you’re going to have another, it can be a bit socially awkward to pull out a breathalyzer,” Milo Sensors CEO and co-founder Evan Strenk told Digital Trends.
With Proof, users can see if it may be in their best interest to refrain from ordering another drink and even see if they're sober enough to drive home.
‘Fitbit of Alcohol’
In addition to being less obvious than a breathalyzer, Proof works slightly differently. While breathalyzers track your motions with an accelerometer, Proof tracks alcohol molecules in your skin via an enzyme-based electrochemical sensor.
“The alcohol that’s in your bloodstream diffuses through your skin, and we pick up those trace amounts that would naturally just go off into the air,” explained co-founder Bob Lansdorp. “We capture those and turn them into a signal that relates to the alcohol content in your blood.”
With its continuous blood alcohol level tracking, users can also sidestep the hassle of waiting 20 to 30 minutes for an accurate reading on a breathalyzer.
Users can set limit
“The idea is that you put it on when you’re getting ready to go out, pair it with your smartphone, and then use that to access all of the information you need,” Strenk said.
If a user’s blood alcohol level is too high, Proof can let the person know when they can drive safely. The wearer can even set an alcohol limit prior to going out. When the preset BAC level is detected, users will receive a vibration alert on the band and on their smartphone, letting them know that it may be time to call it quits.
Proof was designed to “empower people to make educated decisions about alcohol,” said Strenk. The alcohol-sensing wearable (which will initially become available for pre-order on Kickstarter) uses affordably-priced disposable cartridges that can track a user’s BAL over 12 hours.