In the vein of the breathalyzer, Philips has developed an on-the-go drug test, that can be used by the side of the road to test suspected imbibers for cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamines and methaphetamine. Unlike the standard alcohol testing equipment, this one is used by having the suspect spit into a small receptacle, which is then inserted into the measurement chamber which contains magnetic
nanoparticles coated with ligands that bind to one of five different drug groups, delivering color coded test results in about 90 seconds.
Philips, which has been developing the device since 2001, built it as an optical device that would be easy to mass produce for law enforcement. The company expects to ship them by the end of the year, though there's no word on exactly which markets will employ them as of yet.
[Via
Coolest Gadgets]
posted Aug 6th 2009 6:11AM
This product'll be a sure fire hit because cops love having crack addict spit on their hands and equipment.
Hell, I'll spit on em for free...
heheh...
Wonder if this would destroy the sample or allow them to keep the sample as a way to put your DNA in the system. I am assuming the test tube is disposable so there is no chance of residue from a previous test. So just cap it and send it to the lab afterwards for further testing even if it comes back negative in the field.
I must be going bog-eyed today because it took me a couple of seconds to realise that this wasn't a salvia based drug test. Which would be wrong. Very wrong.
It isn't?
@ DarKlar
Salvia = hallucinogen
Saliva = spit
shame its not a salvia based test, as that stuff is just a blast and a half.
Well, I'll never buy another Philips product again.
Yeah, how dare they try to stop people high on cocaine, heroine or meth from driving! It's a free country!
meth diving? what?
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha' Goin Do....
Oh well everybody knows I only smoke it because it's a medicine...
Great except if you just kissed a girl who did cocaine, you can get sent to jail now?
Smart.
I'd say that's a whole 'nother issue.
yeah! how dare they arrest innocent John's picking up their prostitutes.
They sure had fun testing this one :P
The dutch are actually trying to ban drugs from traffic, starting from 2010. They announced that just a few days ago, so Philips has pretty good timing on this one.
With that ban they want to test for drugs as often as they test on alcohol. Having two similair devices with them to test for either would be great then. Currently you have to keep some sort of sponge under your tongue for a few seconds and then wait five minutes for the result. This would greatly reduces the time it takes to test.
Here you can see a part of the dutch news wich goes about the drugtesting and the ban: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GbwOKpe3tk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autoblog.nl%2Farchive%2F2009%2F08%2F02%2Fdrugsverbod-in-verkeer-onhaalbaar&feature=player_embedded
Marijuana should be decriminalized. However, driving under the influence of any drugs SHOULD be illegal, IMO... so - I guess I'm OK with this - as long as it can't collect DNA records or anything to be used later.
Not just decriminalized - it needs to be fully legalized and regulated.
Not just fully legalized and regulated - but given away for free.
The problem with this is that virtually every drug not named alcohol stays in one's system long after the physical effects have subsided. In the case of everything not name THC, a very low ppm threshold might be enough to narrow the detection window down to the past 4-6 hours. With the period of time THC persists in one's system, a low ppm count could just as much show someone had gotten high 5 hours ago as it would show they got high 5 days ago, depending on how heavy a user he is.
I'd be all for a device that can actually test for intoxication and thus bring legalization or at least THC that much closer, but it seems like any decent DUI attorney would have a field day discrediting this thing (they're already doing pretty well discrediting the closed-source breathalyzers).
My thoughts exactly. If SWIM smokes pot on monday and gets pulled over on Wednesday while driving completely sober... he wouldn't pass the test and would be taken in for a DUI. Even though he wasn't under the influence at the time. I reckon any decent lawyer would get you off of the DUI but then you'd be stuck with some drug charge....
I agree wholeheartedly that this would be a huge issue for marijuana users. I don't know the stats on how long it is present in the saliva, but a heavy user with a slow metabolism that doesn't exercise at all can take up to a month to pee clean. I don't think that ANYONE should be driving around high, but who am I hurting while I get blazed and play NCAA 2010 (besides the 6th grader on the west coast whose butt I am kicking).
I for one would be for a system where driving high is a zero tolerance 6 month suspended license offense, but using marijuana in the home is not just decriminalized, but legal. I'm sure Frito-Lay would agree with me on this point...I alone would be responsible for their for their stock raising a quarter point.
saliva tests are different then blood or urine. I believe the test delivers a reading of the amount of drugs on board, not traces of a known substance.
I completely agree with you! This is a violation of our rights... What rights do we have?
we've had this in Australia for years already, catch up yankies
You guys are probably way ahead in roadside anal cavity searches, too.
Royal Philips Electronics is a Dutch company, not American, hence the misplaced "Yankees" reference.
Learn your corporate structure, Aussie.
"though there's no word on exactly which markets will employ them as of yet. "
Yeah....employee screening.
One could argue that amphetamines and methamphetamines actually IMPROVE driving ability since they increase cognition and attention (the ADD drug Adderall is a mixture of amphetamine salts).
Go ahead, prosecute people who are using them while driving and watch the number of truck-driver-falling-asleep-at-the-wheel accidents skyrocket.
I don't particularly enjoy smoking weed, and I definitely shouldn't drive while high (I tried and ended up thinking the sidewalk was the road), but I'm a special case. From my experience most people who smoke weed regularly either drive normally with similar reaction times or drive even safer. So whatever.
Anyway, my worry is that they'll start bringing these things to parties that they bust and start ruining the lives of college kids by the tens of thousands. Then we'll see where the economy goes.
is that dr. crushers hand on the right?
Thank you! The first thing I think of when seeing the picture is Tricorder and I read through all these comments and nothing until yours. You would think there would be more Trekkies on Engadget but I guess not.
No, this is evil technology, so it's probably Dr. Pulaski's.
Off topic what?
WTF is Dr. Crusher?
My thoughts exactly, hopefully they have done some extensive research to determine what levels of THC quantify physical and mental effects. I imagine there is a breakdown throughout the 3-5 days where THC is in your saliva, perhaps a very "high" number would be required to have conclusive evidence in that regard. Course if your trying out for Super High Me II, you might be screwed all together, and shouldn't be driving as it is.
THC can only be detected in saliva for about 12-14 hours, not 3-5 days! This would screen out those who are impaired. Most other drugs are detectable in saliva for only 24 hours. . . .and to respond to an earlier comment. . . .you would never fail a drug test for kissing someone who did drugs, unless you used them yourself.
http://www.surehire.ca/pages/services/oral-fluid-drug-testing.php
12-14 hours is still long after the effects of the drug have worn off. Say you have the situation where someone is partying and they smoke a bit, then they go home and go to bed. The next day they wake up and get stopped at a checkpoint on their way to work. Oops, they pop positive for THC in the saliva, even though they're completely sober at this point.
@Khav
Um, then don't do illegal drugs.
(I'm not saying they SHOULD be illegal, but currently they are so if you don't want to run the risk, don't do it.)
@ Dorf
If everyone just doesn't use them then there will be no push to have them decriminalized as they should be
yeah I'm pretty sure you can just refuse to take the test ... the same way people refuse to take a breathalyzer
(note: you get in trouble and they probably take you in but I'm not sure how it's going to hold up in court if you say you're worried about them doing more with the tube after you're done)
Wow... 12-14 hours, I'd fail right now! But I'm sober... Life is what you make it! You only live ONE TIME....
DAMN YOU PHILLIPS!!!!!!
Looks like I picked the right year to stop sniffing glue.
Yeah, posting on Engadget is much better.
WE HAVE TO STOP THIS!!!!! Find a way to destroy it or to destroy the person responsible for the making of this machine. Because you cant drink and drive but for now at least you can smoke and fly!
Ya guys, what if I was *insert an action that I probably shouldn't be doing involving an illegal substance!* Then I would totally get in trouble for getting high!
Marijuana's defense against these things has been around forever. It's called cotton mouth lol
I'm way too baked to drive to the Devil's house...
HAHAHAHA! DRIVE MONKEY, DRIVE!