New York residents who worry about being detained for drunk driving following a night out at the club with friends may be interested in knowing about one company’s efforts to promote and support responsible drinking. Due to the high number of DWI incidents in its home state, DERMATEC, a start-up based in New Mexico, has developed a patch that senses alcohol intake through sweat.
According to the business development manager for the company, the high number of DWI occurrences and deaths in the state is a prevalent problem that no one has really been doing anything about. As part of its mission to find a solution, DERMATEC said that it is “on us” to put an end to drunk driving and accordingly named its new product the ONUSBlue.
Designed for use by the general public, the ONUSBlue patch could potentially help motorists determine whether they are sober enough to serve as a designated driver before taking the wheel at the end of the evening. Once placed on the upper arm of its user, the anti-DWI patch simply changes color when it senses that a would-be driver has had at least one drink too many to be able to operate a vehicle both safely and within the law.
DERMATEC is working to have the patches mass-produced with the help of a number of grants, but sources say that more funding is needed before they will be readily available for use in bars and restaurants across the globe. In the interim, New York residents who do find themselves inadvertently facing DWI charges may want to turn to a criminal defense attorney for practical advice and help in combating the allegations.
