Drunk Driving Fingerprint Sensors

Lumidigm, a New Mexico company, has developed fingerprint sensor that detects blood alcohol content (BAC) in suspected drunk driving cases.

Lumidigm, based in Albuquerque, has developed a unique technology that can be used for detection of drunk driving in New Mexico. They initially designed a light-based scanner that takes three-dimensional images of fingerprints. The sensors, however, can be adjusted to test for the presence of alcohol emanating from the skin.

The company has been testing the handheld equipment with the help of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. Darren White, speaking on behalf of the sheriff’s department, is encouraged by the potential of a new tool to determine if a motorist is driving while intoxicated. He felt the evidence gathered would also improve the prosecution’s chances of securing a conviction for DWI.

In the current United States Defense Appropriations Act, two million dollars were allocated for the development of a handheld fingerprint scanner. The technology is then expected to enter the private law enforcement sector.

Matthew Ennis, an executive with Lumidigm, projects the use of biometric technology in automobiles within a few years that can provide security and detect elevated blood alcohol content.