A laser device that detects alcohol vapors inside a moving car was developed by researchers of the Military University of Technology in Warsaw.
The research of Giaroslav Mlintzak, Jan Kumbiki and Kristof Koptsinski was published in the Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, under the title «Stand-off detection of alcohol in car cabins». The device was built at the Institute of Optoelectronics of the university, based on previous research of the same authors, which was described in a related paper in 2013.
The specific method (stand-off detection) detects and identifies chemical and biological agents via a laser and takes place at a distance from people, to avoid possible damage/ complications. As the contributors note, its use for chemical identification purposes has already been described in many papers, but only in recent years have developments been noted in the research field on laser advancements that enable the application of such methods.
«This work demonstrates how remote sensing technologies affect our daily life»» says Marco Gianninetto of Politecnico di Milano, associate of the Journal of Applied Remote Sensing. «We all know the laser devices used by police for speed limit checks. These researchers showed how a laser device could be effectively used to detect drunk drivers and thereby reduce accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol. In the future, similar technology could be developed to detect other chemical substances, allowing the detection of drivers under the influence of other substances»».
The laser system is placed at the side of the road and monitors every vehicle that passes. If alcohol vapors are detected in a vehicle, a message with a photo of the vehicle and its license plate number is sent to a police officer who is nearby. Then, the officer stops the vehicle and proceeds with routine checks/ breathalyzer.
As the researchers point out, the device will also indicate cars where the driver is sober, but the passengers are not, or where alcohol may simply have been poured inside them. Nevertheless, they emphasize that such a technology will certainly reduce the number of cars that are checked by the police, while at the same time increasing the effectiveness of the checks.
«From a practical standpoint, there seem to be some countermeasures, such as driving with the windows open, anti‑solar coatings on the side windows, etc.» the researchers admit. «However, such cases can be detected very easily by the system, which sends this information to the police, indicating that this vehicle should be inspected».
In the next phase of the research, other issues will be investigated, such as driving with air conditioning, while simultaneously issues related to the commercial exploitation of the device will be examined, such as the creation of a device that will be more compact and user‑friendly.
Source: tro-ma-ktiko.blogspot.gr
