Device Worn on Skin Can Measure Blood Alcohol Content From Sweat

A newly developed device worn on the skin as a temporary tattoo can measure a person’s blood alcohol level from sweat. The device can transmit the data wirelessly to a laptop or smartphone, according to engineers at the University of California San Diego.

The device could be used by doctors and police officers, Science Daily reports. A portable flexible electronic circuit board is connected to the tattoo by a magnet. The circuit board communicates the information to a mobile device via Bluetooth. The researchers describe the device in the journal ACS Sensors.

“When you’re out at a party or at a bar, this sensor could send alerts to your phone to let you know how much you’ve been drinking,” study co-author Jayoung Kim said in a news release.