iPhone-connected breathalyzer takes out top Australian tech design award
A smartphone-connected breathalyzer has taken out the top consumer electronics prize at Australia's Good Design Awards, beating a portable cinema camera, a Kickstarter-funded charging cable and the Leap Motion Controller for the top prize.
- Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
Run by Good Design Australia, the Good Design Awards track the best design and innovation of the year across a range of fields, including sporting goods, automotive design, domestic appliances and commercial products.
A dedicated Consumer Electronics category included a broad range of product finalists, including the Jump Charging Cable, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and even a Braun shaver. However, the BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer was awarded the Best in Category.
Designed in San Francisco, the BACtrack connects wirelessly to a smartphone via Bluetooth and uses "police-grade Xtend Fuel Cell Sensor Technology to offer the highest level of accuracy and consistency" when measuring Blood Alcohol Content, according to the creators.
The device is compatible with both iOS and Android through a free app, which can save and share results and estimate when the user's BAC will return to 0.00 per cent.
Speaking about the BACtrack, the Design Award judges said it was "beautifully and smartly designed" while also being functional.
"This is a clever little piece of technology that works well," the judges said. "Accuracy, functionality and user interface considerations are paramount in a product such as this and the designers have delivered on all fronts.
"The product works seamlessly across a Bluetooth interface and is very intuitive to use. This technology offers users an important service that will have a positive impact on reducing the number of drink driving incidents on our roads."
The Good Design Awards have recognised some big names in the past, both from the design world and beyond. After director James Cameron accepted the top award across all categories last year for the Deep Sea Challenger submersible, this year's top prize went to a collection of bathroom products designed by Marc Newson.