(Vimeo)
Design and user experience students from the University of Washington have developed a wristband that monitors alcohol and dehydration levels, essentially telling wearers how intoxicated they are. The designers claim the band can curb the likelihood of sexual assault and other compromising situations likely arise a club or party.
The non-working prototype, called Vive, was presented at the annual Microsoft Research Faculty Summit Design Expo 2014, reports GeekWire.
The Vive concept is comprised of a band or bracelet that has a transdermal alcohol sensor-- which can measure BAC levels through skin, a dehydration monitor and a gyroscope and accelerometer to sense unusual changes in motion, such as the wearer passing out.
Unlike other alert devices such as Life Alert and Alert1, the wearer doesn’t need to press any buttons for help.
Winner of the “Best Product Concept” at the Expo, the team’s original goal was to prohibit potential danger in alcohol-charged situations to keep people safe, without getting in the way of having a good time.
In an effort to be compatible with social media, Vive can be linked with your friends, letting everyone know how the group is doing on a scale from "just a few drinks," to "completely wasted." If someone becomes too inebriated, Vive will let everyone in the group know so they can respond.
Tom Igoe of NYU’s Tisch School of the arts told GeekWire he appreciated the “intentionality” of the approach.
A wristband tracking device concept is also being considered in Thailand for tourists and visitors after two British travelers were found murdered in Koh Tao last month.
Vive — UW DES 483: Advanced Projects In Interaction Design from Dan Doan on Vimeo.
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