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Temporary Tattoo Keeps Tabs On Alcohol Intake

Had one too many to drink and need to know if you’re OK to drive home? You might one day be able to stick an electronic tattoo on your arm to tell you. Researchers have made a disposable tattoo-based device that can accurately measure alcohol levels in sweat and relay the results wirelessly to your phone or smart watch. Blood alcohol concentration is the most accurate way to verify if someone is drunk. Measuring it requires a finger prick, though, so it’s used by law enforcement in extreme cases. Breathalyzers are less invasive, but they can give false positives and “can be spoofed easily,” says Patrick Mercier, an electrical and computer engineering professor at University of California, San Diego. “One rinse with mouthwash can throw them off,” he adds.”

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