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Abstract:Passive alcohol sensing devices are designed to detect the presence of alcohol in a person's normally-expelled breath; they are "passive" in that one is not required to blow into a mouthpiece as with conventional breath test devices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tested two such devices [Lion Alcolmeter PAS and a modified version of the Alcolmeter, the P.A.S. (trademark)] in the laboratory in two separate studies. The effects of several operational variables (subject-to-sensor distance, breath force, temperature, alcohol concentration level, crosswinds, and potential contaminants) on device performance were examined. The main finding was that each device was able to discriminate among differing alcohol air samples to a useful degree under laboratory conditions. Testing confirmed the need for strict adherence to recommended operating procedures regarding storage temperatures, avoidance of crosswinds, and proper measurement distance. Quality control was a problem in the P.A.S. (trademark) prototypes. The NHTSA findings are limited in that they were conducted under laboratory conditions which do not reflect all the factors relevant to use of these devices. Issues such as quality control, long-term reliability, evasive strategies of non-cooperating drivers, and the legal status of passive-sensing technology were not formally examined. /Abstract from report summary page/
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