TECH

Smart bracelet identifies drug addicts with opium overdose
In the United States, an average of 115 people per day die from opiate-derived overdose of opium. A scourge that tripled between 1999 and 2016. In this sense, several companies have investigated and worked on devices similar to clocks and smart bracelets to "watch" people who use drugs and take some measures in the face of an impending overdose.
HopeBand is a smart bracelet developed by students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, United States. This solution can trigger an audible alarm, red flashing lights and even send a text message with its location to recipients ready to go to the victim when a low level of oxygen in the blood is detected. Arrived at the site, help can administer the medicine capable of reversing the effects of overdose.
The system operates through oximetric pulse sensors, which work through an LED light through the skin. The device monitors the low oxygen levels for 10 seconds until the alarm sounds, as explained on the IEEE Spectrum biomedical website.
Although the simulated laboratory tests performed well, the students have not yet tested the device in a real situation. However, the prototype will continue to be improved, and in the future it will be considered to add functionalities that can solve the addiction associated with the use of opium. The team expects the bracelet to be inserted into the needle distribution programs, and a commercial version will cost up to $ 20. Sapo