Lifesaving

Zero alcohol is better!

Almost half of road accidents in Europe is due to alcohol: between 40 and 55% of the total, according to the country.

A few simple interventions could afford, so almost immediately, a drastic reduction in the number of road accidents and therefore its serious consequences. Devices engine blocks, zero-alcohol before driving, increase road checks and increased penalties are the measures that each country should implement to achieve the goal of reducing road accidents related to alcohol.

The IoT could help to do this. The device taken into consideration is a device engine block.

Now the project is in prototype stage and it needs test.

So, let's start!

The purpose of this "lifesaving" device is to block the pump of the engine, thanks to an alcohol sensor (MQ-3) and Intel Edison board.

When the BAC detected by the sensor is 0,5 g/l, the Edison board block pump. In this way the drunk driver can't start the car.

The materials used is simple:

• 1 x Intel Edison Board;
• 1 x Grove Base Shield;
• 1 x MQ-3 Sensor (you can buy it here);
• 1 x Grove Relay;
• Cable.

When the user exhales into a breath analyzer, any ethanol present in their breath is oxidized to acetic acid at the anode:

CH3CH2OH(g) + H2O(l) → CH3CO2H(l) + 4H+(aq) + 4e-

At the cathode, atmospheric oxygen is reduced:

O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4e- → 2H2O(l)

The overall reaction is the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid and water.

CH3CH2OH(l) + O2(g) → CH3COOH(l) + H2O(l)

The electrical current produced by this reaction is measured by a microprocessor.

Before we get stuck in I am assuming you have your Edison board set up as in Intel guide; if not you can view it here.

Before connecting it all up, I suggest you disconnect the power from the board, it helps prevent any short circuits and other issues.

Firstly, you must connect the Grove Base Shield on Intel Edison Board.

Then, the alcohol sensor needs to connect to port A0 on the expansion board.

The Relay must connect on Digital Pin and the pump to it.

• The MQ-3 sensor is placed in front of the driver (i.e. on the car dashboard behind the steering wheel);
• The sensor detect the alcohol concentration in the air;
• If the BAC detected by the sensor is 0,5 g/l, or more, the relay blocks the pump voltage up to a release signal.

The "release signal" could be:

• Button (in my opinion not very useful);
• GSM signal.

Possibile upgrades could be:

• an LCD showing the alcohol concentration (i.e. useful for Police);
• a call system that warns an agent or medical who can control the situation and unlock all system.

I hope that this device will save many lives, his own and others, to decrease road accidents.

Cheers!