UPDATED 11:07 EDT / SEPTEMBER 23 2015

NEWS

Drunk nerds: We test whether knowing BAC levels actually changes drinking behavior

Earlier this year I explored the idea that connected devices and social data could soon comprise a replacement for horoscopes, creating new constellations of data points predicting our future. Among the questions raised during my research was whether or not such blatant data offerings would encourage individuals to actually modify their behavior. After all, horoscopes can be fun to read, but how often do they determine life-changing decisions?

I recently had the opportunity to experiment a bit with the concept of behavior-changing data, when AlcoMate sent me their latest Revo breathalyzer for testing. Distinguished for its accuracy and user-friendly design, Revo was a prime use case for testing some of my own theories, given breathalyzers’ newfound market opportunity with the self-quantified crowd. In the past year, breathalyzer makers have leaned on smartphone applications and connectors to change the stigma surrounding their products as self-testing mechanisms.

Breathalyzers in the self-quantified world

The benefits of breathalyzers and their collective data sets on blood alcohol concentration levels (BAC levels) also show promise in rewards-based programs for alcohol recovery treatment centers, insurance companies and law enforcement agencies. One associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, Michael McDonell, hopes to use breathalyzers in a study of incentive-based alcohol addiction treatment. Distributing a breathalyzer device to participating patients, McDonell will take the self-measured blood-alcohol levels and reward those who blow a 0.   

The goal for McDonell is to deliver treatment to patients in their homes as an alternative to clinics, “and that’s big because we know most people don’t come in,” he explained in an NPR article. Recovery treatment clinics are often too far or too time-consuming, and many patients fear the stigma of being there, he said.

Accuracy is an obvious variable for a program such as McDonell’s, and that’s an area AlcoMate excels in for both professional grade and consumer devices. With a range of gadgets qualified for law enforcement use, the Revo is distinct from a crowd of breathalyzer attachments for the iPhone and keychain blowers. The Revo isn’t a party favor, it’s a highly calibrated machine that revels in its methods for future-proofing accuracy. With a replaceable cartridge that comes with the initial purchase, Revo enables the user to maintain accuracy over time. Unlike other high-end breathalyzers, you don’t have to send in the machine for replacement cartridges, empowering the end user with a self-service solution.

Accuracy matters in data collection

AlcoMate’s line of portable breathalyzers is manufactured by AK GlobalTech Corporation, with a long line of credentials. AlcoMate is DOT Approved for Law Enforcement accuracy and cleared by U.S. Coast Guard regulations for on-board breathalyzers.

Revo utilizes PRISM Technology, or Pre-calibrated Replaceable Intelligent Sensor Modules, allowing you to both avoid downtime (when sending in the device for calibration) and restore Day 1 accuracy by simply swapping the old sensor module with a new one. This technology is available in the AlcoMate Revo, Premium and Prestige.

revo02_1024x1024_2About the Revo

Right out the box, the Revo is well-presented in its own hardtop case. Inside you’ll find a portable carrying bag with a carabiner attachment, five mouthpieces and a single replacement sensor module. This makes the kit good for approximately two years, or 2,000 blows.

The Revo device itself is easy to use, with one large button to turn on and off. The backlit LCD display screen shows the number of blows that have been taken on the device, and the BAC level after each blow. There’s a helpful audible signal for when to begin and stop blowing, enhancing the usability and accuracy of the Revo.

A replacement mouthpiece averages about 40 cents – you can purchase them from AlcoMate in 10-pack or 100-pack bags. The replacement sensor module will run you $89.95.

So what happened when we actually began using the Revo? Did it modify behavior at all? It most certainly did.

Revo review: Did data change human behavior?

Full disclosure: I’m currently pregnant and so I did not test the Revo on myself, but instead enlisted the help of my husband, his father and a handful of eager and willing friends.

Over 10 trials, eight of those took place in my home or a friend’s home, while two trials took place at a local beer garden. My husband is something of a beer snob, and was most interested in testing the device for the differences in his body regarding high gravity craft beers versus mainstream ales. As expected, high gravity beers get you drunk faster.

Especially once friends got involved, testing the Revo turned into a bit of a game. This is the most notable way in which the knowledge of one’s BAC levels modified behavior – in social settings, using the Revo became a competition of sorts, either for who could get to a certain BAC level the fastest, or who could achieve that BAC level at all. What surprised my test subjects the most was the length of time and amount of alcohol needed to reach a BAC level to be considered legally drunk.

It’s important to note that the Revo will not be its most accurate when blowing directly after taking a sip of a drink. The instruction manual included with the Revo suggests waiting 20 minutes before your first blow to ensure accuracy.

It’s also important to note that the Revo is not currently a connected device. It would be nice to have an accompanying smartphone app to track drinking behavior and its effects over time and even for multiple people, perhaps integrating with existing platforms like Apple’s HealthKit for more consumer-tracking options. Connecting the Revo would also enable Alcomate to track and analyze manufacturing data, including the frequency and location of device use, and how the internal sensor module performs over the course of its life. Such tracking methods are of growing interest with device manufacturers, inciting a new form of market research that doesn’t rely on labs or the self-selecting limitations of user surveys.

I would conclude that the knowledge of one’s BAC level is powerful in the sense that it correlates one’s internal feelings of drunkenness to a scientific measurement, enabling my test subjects to recognize different BAC levels without the help of a breathalyzer. This is encouraging in that self-quantified data collection methods such as the Revo can develop a new sense of self-awareness that can be applied far into the future.

photo credit: the pour via photopin (license)

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