The Latest SMS: Save My Sobriety
By Hannah Isom
Life-saving miracle technology or nanny-state gone mad? That’s the question surrounding a new Korean mobile phone designed to keep tabs on your drinking habits and then snitch on you direct to your doctor!
The new mobile is the brainchild of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. It uses a bio-sensor to measure levels of two enzymes in your blood: GOT and GPT*. GOT and GPT are found in liver cells and elevated levels of these enzymes can be an indication of alcoholic hepatitis or liver damage.
The information is then ‘uploaded’ into the phone and beamed off, presumably to the local hospital, research institute, or any other interested third party of your choice.
It is not yet clear where the market lies for this phone. It could be aimed at alcoholics with a guilty conscience, hypochondriacs with too much time (and phone credit) on their hands, or worried mums wanting to keep an eye on their cider-swilling ASBO teens.
At present, the device is still at development phase, but the patent applications have been filed and the Korean researchers seem keen to push for commercialisation. One thing is for certain, this service is sure to cost more than your average text message.
* glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase if you’re interested.
Read more about Hannah and check out her other articles here.
The new mobile is the brainchild of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. It uses a bio-sensor to measure levels of two enzymes in your blood: GOT and GPT*. GOT and GPT are found in liver cells and elevated levels of these enzymes can be an indication of alcoholic hepatitis or liver damage.
The information is then ‘uploaded’ into the phone and beamed off, presumably to the local hospital, research institute, or any other interested third party of your choice.
It is not yet clear where the market lies for this phone. It could be aimed at alcoholics with a guilty conscience, hypochondriacs with too much time (and phone credit) on their hands, or worried mums wanting to keep an eye on their cider-swilling ASBO teens.
At present, the device is still at development phase, but the patent applications have been filed and the Korean researchers seem keen to push for commercialisation. One thing is for certain, this service is sure to cost more than your average text message.
* glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase if you’re interested.
Read more about Hannah and check out her other articles here.
Image: Jyn Meyer
Share this
