New Breathalyzer Tech is Blowing Up the Industry
Breathalyzers developed by cannabis companies and 3D-printed kiosks are helping transform the industry.
Written by Claire Beaney
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
While breathalyzers are typically associated with detecting whether someone is driving under the influence of alcohol, the legalization of cannabis in many states has introduced new concerns.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana was the most common illicit drug identified in the bloodstream of drivers involved in car crashes, including those that were fatal.
Cannabis companies have begun to build the technology required for law enforcement agencies to crack down on drivers operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana. The new tech would serve the dual purpose of detecting alcohol consumption, as well.
A similarly unexpected use for breathalyzers has emerged even more recently—to help with the COVID-19 pandemic.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
New tech shaking up the breathalyzer industry
Cannabix Technologies Inc., a Vancouver-based company, focuses on developing tools specifically for law enforcement and workplaces to detect THC in breath.
The company announced recently that it developed a cutting-edge contactless alcohol breathalyzer (CAB) for vehicle cabins. The prototype CAB was created after an automobile manufacturing company requested a contactless testing method—so there’s no straw or mouthpiece involved.
Cannabix has used its years of experience in marijuana breath testing and breath capture technology to quickly build a functional CAB prototype with a compact enough footprint to be designed for nearly
any make or model of vehicle
.At the time of publishing, the company hadn’t entered into a contractual relationship for its tech, but it had filed a provisional patent for it.
The initial CAB proof of concept prototype would allow a driver to direct a breath sample through a small aperture in the vehicle's interior. Comparatively, present alcohol interlock systems need users to directly blow into a handheld gadget attached to the vehicle, usually through a cable.
The CAB displays a warning, pass, or fail result, and the driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) level. This technology can hopefully be used in many systems, including automotive, heavy-duty equipment, and heavy transport vehicles.
Industry reactions have led manufacturers like
Volvo
to experiment with selling alcohol-detection systems as optional hardware.3D-printed breathalyzer can test for COVID-19
Another impressive invention in the world of breathalyzers—Essentium, Inc. has partnered with Texas A&M University, Worlds Protect Inc., and the U.S. Air Force to develop a breathalyzer kiosk.
Using their Essentium High Speed Extrusion (HSE) 3D Printing Platform and industrial materials, the company was able to develop, design, prototype, and construct 10 working breathalyzer kiosks in a highly-accelerated timeframe.
The kiosk requires the individual to blow into a copper inlet using a disposable straw. Preliminary data show that results—with the same accuracy of current PCR tests—can be sent to the participant's smartphone in less than a minute.
The technology and materials used by Essentium enabled rapid iteration to design, create, and develop in days rather than weeks. The majority of kiosk pieces were printed in less than a day, which is 66% faster than the three-day turnaround time for standard subtractive manufacturing methods. And in some cases, the Worlds Protect team was able to minimize costs by up to 90%.
One of the mountings used in the final product, for example, was priced at $110 for a machined version but only cost $12 to 3D print!
Breathalyzer tech poised for high returns
These new technological advancements haven’t only helped their industry but have helped make a splash in the markets as well.
According to Mordor Intelligence, the global breathalyzer market was valued at approximately $812.53 million in 2021 and is predicted to reach $1,275.031 million in 2027, showing an 8.5% CAGR throughout the forecast period.
Thanks to new developments and innovations, breakthroughs in breathalyzer models are working to keep people safer on the road (and stop the spread of COVID).
The innovative technology used at
Jerry
tries to do much of the same—help make the car insurance
industry more accessible to everyday users while saving them the time, money, and stress that usually comes with keeping on top of your insurance.
The innovative technology used at Jerry
tries to do much of the same—help make the car insurance
industry more accessible to everyday users while saving them the time, money, and stress that usually comes with keeping on top of your insurance.Are you overpaying for your car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
4.717k Ratings5M+Drivers Joined
7M+Cars Garaged
