Electrical engineers at the University of South Florida are creating a wearable sensor to help people manage their alcohol intake.

Worn like a watch, this sensor picks up vapors from the skin and sends the data to a server. If the alcohol reading is high, via an app, a designated family member gets an alert to check in on the user. This easy-to-wear gadget will help address issues with social drinking and addiction.

The wearable sensor detects alcohol off the skin within 15 to 20 minutes of consumption. In addition to managing alcoholism, this wearable sensor may help monitor social drinking on college campuses. It can also help keep an eye on liver transplant patients who are unable to drink or risk additional liver damage.

The inventor, Shekhar Bhansali, an Alcatel Lucent professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, explains that this is one step toward active intervention that only requires the user to wear the sensor.