breathalyzer
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Toyota develops breathalyzer ignition-interlock, BJ McKay promises to hack it
Shoving breathalyzers into MIDs and PNDs has been all the rage overseas for quite a while, and now it looks like Toyota itself is getting in on the act. The breath-alcohol ignition-interlock system features a handset that detects alcohol on your breath (if any) and snaps your mug with a digital camera. Depending on your level of "fun" (that is, alcohol consumption) the thing can be set to alert you (in case you forgot about those three Iron Citys) or lock the vehicle's ignition altogether. In addition, it can be used to monitor vehicles of commercial fleets and notify the boss if the driver shows up sloshed. Testing of the device commences September 1st, and will go through November 30. Historians agree that had this technology been available thirty years ago, the 1970s CB radio craze could have been avoided altogether. [Via Yahoo!]
iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod
It's late Friday night, you're stepping out of the bar into the cold after a few drinks, and as you head towards the car, you stop, realizing that it might not be the right time to drive. But how can you know for sure? Simple -- you just pull out your iPod. Because the iPod hasn't had enough random things attached to it, there's the iBreath, a breathalyzer that connects to the bottom of your iPod or iPhone and will not only tell you what your BAC is, but transmit your iPod's audio to your FM radio as well.You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.
UMID F1 GPS-enabled, breathalyzin' UMPC available in Korea
Does a UMPC with a breathalyzer still raise eyebrows? In addition to making you face your demons (something several family-led interventions have failed to do) UMID's F1 is a GPS-enabled device aimed clearly at drivers. This 7-inch, 800 x 480 LCD touchscreen PC sports HSDPA and WiMAX connectivity, a VIA C7-M 1.2GHz processor, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, a GPS receiver, DMB TV tuner, FM tuner, a remote control and Windows XP Home. Available with 512MB or 1GB memory and up to 60GB storage, this machine is currently on sale in Korea. No word yet on pricing.
AVMap intros breathalyzer-equipped Geosat 6 Drive Safe navigator
Built-in breathalyzers haven't become quite the mainstay that many other features have in GPS units, but it looks like they're starting to become a bit more common, with AVMap only the latest to debut a navigator that promises to tell you if you're fit to drive or not. Apparently, its new Geosat 6 Drive Safe navigator is a standalone version of the built-in option that was available on Peugot's 107 "Sweet Years" edition car, with it boasting the same 4.8-inch touchscreen, built-in Bluetooth, and text-to-speech features as before. No word on a price just yet, unfortunately, and it seems safe to assume that this one will only be available in Europe.[Via Coolest Gadgets]
JATY's multifaceted DR7200 navigator doubles as breathalyzer
Believe it or not, JATY is far from being the first gadget maker to think of stuffing a breathalyzer into something completely unrelated (like a wristwatch), but this do-it-all navigator really has included everything save for the kitchen sink (and an N64 emulator, but you get the point). Specs wise, you're looking at a 7-inch touchscreen, 533MHz CPU, WinCE 5.0, 64MB of NAND Flash / SDRAM, an SD expansion slot, built-in GPS / T-DMB receivers, USB connectivity, integrated speakers and support for MP3, WMV, OGG, AC3, MPEG1/2/4, DivX, XviD, AVI and JPG formats (just to name a few). Chances are you'll never see this on US soil, so you're looking at a flight to Seoul in addition to ???296,000 ($294) in order to procure one.[Via Tech Digest]
NDrive's G400 PND knows when you're one sip over the line
Who do you trust more to tell you when you've had too much to drink -- your family, friends, or lovers, or a cold, emotionless piece of technology? We all know the answer -- you want the NDrive G400. We're not sure if this will actually keep idiots from driving drunk, though it will at least give a realistic impression of just how much you've knocked back -- which might be enough of a deterrent for some people. Other then the built-in breathalyzer, we assume this GPS nav does all the usual things PNDs do, but let's be honest, no one is buying it for the turn-by-turn directions. You can pick one of these puppies up for €200, and you can see the breathalyzin' in action in the video after the break.[Via Navigadget]
Standoff over breathalyzer source code in DUI case
Not too long ago, we reported on a case brought to the Minnesota Supreme Court wherein a defendant in a DUI case asked (and was allowed) to view the source code of the breathalyzer machine which was used on him. Well, there's a new chapter in this book, it appears, as Minnesota authorities have missed the deadline for handing over the code to defense attorneys, thus dramatically increasing the chances that the defendant will be getting his case dismissed. Apparently, the Minnesota state public safety commissioner would not supply the source code, and the Department of Public Safety offered no explanation for the refusal. The state previously argued that it doesn't have the rights to hand over the data, as it is actually the copyrighted property of CMI -- the company who manufactures the machines. CMI has not been forthcoming with the source code in the past, leading to blunted or thrown out cases, though Court judges say the state must do whatever it takes to procure the software, even if it means suing CMI. A court hearing scheduled for September 19th will likely decide the defendant's fate, though we doubt this is the last we've heard of this case.
Man wins breathalyzer source code in court case
It looks like those alleged drunken drivers in Florida trying to get their hands on the source code to the breathalyzer that deemed them intoxicated may have been on to something, as the Minnesota Supreme Court has now granted just that to a defendant currently facing DUI charges in an unrelated case. According to CNET, the court ruled that CMI, makers of the Intoxilyzer 5000EN, must turn the breathalyzer's source code over to the defense attorneys, who said they needed it because "for all we know, it's a random number generator." Apparently, the case wound up focusing largely on whether the source code was actually owned by CMI or by the state, with the court ultimately siding with the latter camp, although not without a good deal of dispute. No word on a next move from either party, but we have a sneaking suspicion that it won't be too long before someone starts lobbying for the code to go open source.
Nissan begins testing drunk-proof car
On August 1st, Nissan Japan will begin joint testing with authorities on a new system which prevents drivers from starting their cars if they've been drinking. The technology, which we mentioned back in 2006, can disable the vehicle's ignition after analyzing a driver's level of intoxication using an onboard breathalyzer. The tests will take place with cars used by local government staff in a variety of Prefectures around Japan, utilizing the opinions of the drivers to further develop the system. The company recently added a "Carwings" navigation system to its vehicles, which issues warnings to drivers under the influence, and the automaker hopes that technologies such as these could halve the number of serious accidents involving Nissan vehicles by 2015. [Warning: subscription required]
Nissan considering anti-drunk driving technology
Although third-party options have long been available to interfere with the poor decision to start a car while inebriated, a recent string of alcohol-related accidents in Japan has led Nissan to begin mulling over a factory installed system that prevents intoxicated individuals from cranking up their own ride. The technology would utilize "breathalyzer-like devices" to detect the blood alcohol content when you got behind the wheel, and if it finds that you're over the legal limit, the hopes of turning that engine over are squashed. Potential "solutions" included a straw-like device which you'd have to puff on before ignition could ensue (sanitation concerns could become an issue here if you share your car with someone), or an automated system that would require drivers to enter a series of numbers (presumably difficult if you're not sober) before being granted access to cruise. While we don't know when these anti-drunk driving vehicles will start popping up at dealerships, we highly doubt folks that are careless enough to toss a few back before getting behind the wheel would have the presence of mind to pay extra for something like this when they buy their car -- besides, we'll all be using autopilot before too long, right?
iBreath, your iPod-powered breathalyzer
You know that people are trying to jump on the iPod bandwagon when someone releases a breathalyzer that connects to the ubiquitous music player. Yes, David Steele Enterprises (no, not that David Steel) has just released an iBreath ($50, black or white color), a small device to plug into the dock connector of your iPod. Sticking out of the side of the device is the breathalyzer tube, and within five seconds it'll read out your blood alchohol content level, accurate to within 0.01 BAC -- oh and if that wasn't enough, it doubles as an FM transmitter for your car stereo. That just leaves us with one burning question: will Mr. Steele be sending one to recently DUIed Paris Hilton?[Via iLounge]
