Sensing Safety: Developing a Flexible, Portable Alcohol Detection Patch for Community Wellness

Alcohol misuse remains a significant public health concern, contributing to injuries, fatalities, and impaired driving incidents. Current alcohol detection methods, such as breathalyzers and self-reports, face challenges due to biases and limited continuous monitoring capabilities. This project, "Sensing Safety: Developing a Flexible, Portable Alcohol Detection Patch for Community Wellness," aims to address these issues by creating a wearable, non-invasive alcohol detection device. The proposed patch will use microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based sensors to detect transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC), offering accurate, continuous monitoring of alcohol levels in sweat. By providing real-time data through Bluetooth integration with smartphones, the device will enable early intervention for those at risk of impaired driving or in recovery. The patch’s ability to monitor alcohol consumption discreetly will have wide applications, from public health and addiction recovery to transportation safety. Ultimately, this technology aims to reduce alcohol-related incidents and fatalities by providing a reliable, noninvasive way to monitor alcohol use and enable timely preventative actions. The primary objective of this project is to develop a flexible, portable alcohol detection patch that continuously monitors TAC in real time. This device aims to overcome the limitations of traditional methods, such as self-reports or breathalyzers, by offering a discreet, non-invasive solution for accurate alcohol monitoring. The patch will use advanced miniaturized sensors integrated with MEMS technology to detect ethanol vapor in sweat, providing continuous alcohol tracking that could be integrated into personal and vehicle safety systems. Additionally, the patch will feature Bluetooth connectivity for real-time data transfer to smartphones or other devices, enabling proactive interventions to enhance public health and safety.