Announcement of Requirements and Registration for “A Wearable Alcohol Biosensor” Challenge

Through the ``A Wearable Alcohol Biosensor'' Challenge (the ``Challenge''), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is searching for a wearable or otherwise discreet device capable of measuring blood alcohol level in real time. The advent of alcohol biosensors that can be worn discreetly and used by individuals in the course of their daily lives will advance the mission of NIAAA in the arenas of research, treatment, and rehabilitation. NIAAA has supported academic and small business grants and contracts to advance the development and use of alcohol biosensors in the past. Current technological developments in electronics, miniaturization, wireless technology, and biophysical techniques of alcohol detection in humans increase the likelihood of successful development of a useful alcohol biosensor in the near future. The NIH believes that this challenge will stimulate investment from public and private sectors in the development of functional alcohol biosensors that will be appealing to individuals, treatment providers, and researchers.