Small device detects date-rape drugs, could save lives

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last updated 10 January 2015

With just a flash of its LED light, the keychain-sized pd.id can let a person know if their drink is safe or has been spiked.

The new invention is able to detect alcohol, Ambien, Rohypnol, and other benzodiazepines, The Daily Beast reports. It's simple to use: Dip it into a drink and wait for a few moments. If the drink is safe, the light on the pd.id turns green. If it has been tampered with, the light turns red. The pd.id is battery-operated, and can be used about 40 times before it needs a charge.

The device is still under development, and there is an Indiegogo campaign going on right now to get it on the market. There are other items already available to the public that are meant to combat the same problem, including nail polish that turns color when in contact with drugs and toasters that also test for harmful substances. So far, $11,000 (out of a $100,000 goal) has been raised. If the device hits the shelves, it will likely cost $75.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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