A University of South Florida graduate student has developed a high-tech bracelet designed to detect drink spiking, alerting users and sharing their location with a safety network.
A graduate student from the University of South Florida (USF) is pioneering a stylish yet high-tech solution to a serious issue: drink spiking. Addison Bounds, a 22-year-old former USF beach volleyball player, co-founded Elora Armor, a brand focused on creating jewelry equipped with sensors that warn wearers when harmful substances are detected in their drinks.
The innovative product line will include bracelets, pendants, keychains, and potentially phone cases, all designed to alert users if their drink has been tampered with. Bounds explained that the jewelry specifically targets benzodiazepines, a class of drugs commonly associated with drink spiking. By placing a small amount of liquid on the electromagnetic sensor embedded in the jewelry, users receive an immediate notification via an app that indicates whether their drink is safe to consume.
“You just drop – whatever’s on your finger is plenty – onto the surface of the product,” Bounds said. “You’ll receive a notification to your phone telling you if that drink is safe to consume or not, and if your drink has been spiked, your live location is immediately sent to your safety network that you’ve connected to the app.”
<p.Bounds’s motivation for developing this technology stems from a personal experience. She recounted a troubling incident involving a friend who was drugged in high school and later found unconscious after being assaulted. “It’s like a really rude awakening … there are people who really intend to do harm, and there isn’t really anyone looking out for us except for ourselves,” she said.
Common drugs used in drink spiking are often difficult to detect, and their effects can be exacerbated when mixed with alcohol, according to the Center for Violence Prevention and Self Defense Training. Drink spiking frequently occurs in busy social environments, making it challenging for individuals to notice when their drink has been compromised.
The Center for Violence Prevention and Self Defense Training advises individuals to be vigilant for signs that a drink may have been spiked. Symptoms can include rapid or unexpected intoxication, sudden changes in behavior, memory lapses, hallucinations, paranoia, and unusual appearances or tastes in drinks. Physical symptoms may also manifest as loss of balance, blurred vision, slurred speech, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
Experts recommend several basic strategies for preventing drink spiking. These include never leaving drinks unattended, only accepting beverages from trusted individuals, using drink covers, avoiding communal containers, staying close to friends, and maintaining awareness of one’s surroundings.
As the launch date approaches, Bounds and her team at Elora Armor hope to provide a sense of security to individuals who frequent social settings, empowering them to take control of their safety.
According to Fox 13 Tampa Bay, the initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing the ongoing issue of drink spiking and promoting safety in social environments.