The BreathalEyes app Examines Your Iris to Estimate the Blood Alcohol Level

In the past you could use your iPhone to help track down a cocktail recipe, but that was about the end of the device’s reach into the world of alcohol. But now an app called BreathalEyes is selling for 99 cents, and it just might help you and your friends avoid the pitfalls of choosing to drive while drunk.

To understand how the app works, it helps if you know something about the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)… In plain speak, that’s the test cops do when they have you look to one side with your head remaining forward. They’re watching your irises at those times, and that’s exactly what BreathalEyes does. By gauging any involuntary movements of your eyes, the app works it’s magic to determine an estimate for your blood-alcohol content… Sounds gimmicky, right? I’d have to agree, except that it appears to work with astonishing accuracy (it’s usually not off by any more than .02%).

Check out the video below if you’re still not a believer… Of course, it’s wise not to take BreathalEyes as the final word if it’s a close call (as the developers are quick to point out themselves). But still, maybe it could be the tipping point in convincing a friend not to get behind the wheel? Whatever the case, it’s a great example of how there are still new, untapped ways to use the iPhone, and some of them might turn out to be really useful.

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Devin Wieland

 

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