While breathalyzers already exist to test for impaired driving, they can only detect alcohol consumption, overlooking the possibility that someone has taken drugs. A 13 year old boy from Texas, Krishna Reddy, discovered a way to solve this problem by designing a device that measures potential drivers' pupil dilation.
The device uses a camera, toilet paper roll and flashlight. It functions by shining a flashlight, directing it into someone's pupil with the toilet paper roll, all while a camera records the pupil's movement. This movement is then analyzed using an app that measures the size of constriction.
It not only detects alcohol, marijuana and amphetamines, but boasts an intelligent design that doesn't necessarily require a person's consent. The future development of this test for impaired driving could even be integrated into a rear-view mirror in order to start a car.
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Trend Themes
1. Multi-drug Breathalyzers - Innovation opportunity for companies to develop breathalyzers that can detect multiple drugs to improve road safety.
2. DIY Medical Diagnosis - Companies could explore developing simple and affordable DIY medical diagnosis tools for consumers.
3. Innovative Youth Inventions - More companies should focus on supporting and investing in innovative youth inventions that have the potential to disrupt existing markets.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - Automakers can consider integrating Krishna's device into their cars to improve safety.
2. Healthcare Industry - The healthcare industry could adopt the use of similar DIY diagnostic tools to improve patient access and reduce costs.
3. Consumer Electronics Industry - Companies in the consumer electronics industry can explore developing low-cost and effective devices for measuring different biometric data for health and wellness.