Alcohoot combats drunk driving with ‘world’s first enforcement-grade smartphone breathalyzer’

Drunk driving is bad. It just is. On a mission to fight this problem, Alcohoot has created ‘the world’s first enforcement-grade smartphone breathalyzer.’

Alcohoot is a device that plugs in your smartphone and measures your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). It uses platinum grade fuel cell sensors, the same technology used by police, along with a pressure sensor, mouthpiece, and mobile application to help people monitor their drinking.

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Let’s say you are celebrating a friend’s birthday with pitchers of margaritas. Those tasty lime concoctions can pack quite a punch, and you realize after a few rounds that driving to dinner across down may not be the wisest choice. Whip out Alcohoot, check your BAC, and let actual numbers (rather than the illusion of sobriety) dictate your next move.

The app has tools to monitor your booze levels throughout the night. You can see as your alcohol level goes up or down and track your boozing over longer periods of time. The ‘quantified-self’ movement has led people to obsessively watch their heart rate, sleep patterns, calorie burn, steps taken, and eating habits. Why not our alcohol consumption? Data can lead to insights that can help people who want to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Beyond data, Alcohoot also provides actionable assistance for when you’ve had one too many. The app connects you to nearby restaurants and taxi services so you can grab that anchoring burrito or safely go home to bed when needed. Whenever Alcohoot needs calibration, the company will mail the user a calibrated device with a pre-paid return shipping label, and you just swap them out.

The manufacturing and design happens in Tel Aviv, Israel and is built to conform with FDA and Department of Transportation requirements for breath alcohol testers to ensure accurate results.

Alcohoot is conducting its own crowdfunding campaign to raise $75,000 for the first batch, which will ship in September 2013. Founder Ben Biron said that the law enforcement breathalyzers can cost $800, while Alcohoot is just $75. Check out this video below.

Photo Credits: Alcohoot