Ensuring submission through careful observation and control, this is the path to a safe, secure and tranquil society. "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."
One can image a not so distant future where as a condition of probation even for minor traffic offenders who can not afford to pay their tickets immediately that a wearable alcohol biosensor will be ordered by the court at the expense of the offender during the duration of probation. It is not a small leap to think that these sensors will be incorporated into seat belts in automobiles. Perhaps the data will be stored in some central repository. There may be some arguments that this is a good thing promoting a safe and secure society but certainly not a free and private one.
-Author: George Creal
