Wearable watch to detect alcohol level wins $200,000

This is the latest milestone in the development of wearable technologies that monitor and diagnose medical conditions. 

BACtrack, a privately held medical device maker, took the $200,000 top prize in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Wearable Biosensor Challenge on Thursday with its wristband monitor, which measures blood alcohol levels via sweat on the skin. 

The product, dubbed BACtrack Skyn, has not yet been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for marketing approval. Dr. George Koob, head of the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said he expected the device to be a valuable resource for alcohol research community. 

“It can help doctors accurately measure a patient’s drinking history, and not just depend on the most recent tests,” Koob said. Medical, law enforcement and transportation officials have long sought better technology for detection of blood alcohol levels. Traditional portable breath alcohol testers (PBTs) are unwieldy and can cost over $1,000, and they don’t provide ongoing monitoring of alcohol levels.