Breathometer: The New Smartphone Breathalizer

In an effort to curb drunk driving, a new smartphone app breathalyzer is promising to revolutionize the way people make decisions about whether or not to call a cab.  It is literally putting the data you need right into your hands. The Breathometer is a tiny, keychain-sized, portable breathalyzer. The best part about the Breathometer is that it works with your smartphone. You can simply plug it into your iPhone headphone jack.  Assuming that the accompanying app has already been downloaded onto your phone, and the device is plugged into the jack, you only need to blow into the Breathometer.  The device will register your blood-alcohol concentration.  If you blow over the legal limit, the Breathometer app will link you to alternative transportation.

The creators of the Breathometer are currently in the fundraising stage of production of the device.  It is raising money on Indiegogo.com and was able to raise more than $17,000 in just one day. While there is currently a working prototype of the device, it has yet to go into production.  Money raised during the fundraising campaign will go toward production tooling, a large component order, and to support marketing efforts and raise awareness.  For a small device that can potentially save lives and costly mistakes, one could expect to pay a pretty penny.  However, the Breathometer is currently available to fundraising supporters for only $20.

While there are other breathalyzers already available to consumers, the Breathometer is seeking to make the breathalyzer a much more common and accessible device.  By making the Breathometer simple to use, it makes it a much more convenient option than many other breathalyzers currently on the market.  The ability to essentially transform your smartphone into your own personal breathalyzer may make the choice to use a breathalyzer that much easier.

[Image via venturebeat]