Krishna Reddy from Wichita Falls is 13 years old.
By Raif Karerat
An Indian American teenager from Wichita Falls, Texas has created a device that could revolutionize DUI-prevention.
Krishna Reddy’s invention can tell when a driver has consumed alcohol or used other drugs based on how their dilated their pupils are.
The 13-year-old is one of 10 finalists in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, an annual competition for the title of America’s Top Young Scientist and a $25,000 prize. The finals will take place on October 12 and 13, according to Business Insider.
Reddy sought to make a more efficient detection device when he realized breathalyzers were limited to gauging solely alcohol levels, leaving a huge gap for other drugs to be in effect. They also require the driver’s consent to work, as opposed to being automatic.
Reddy’s device is made simply from a toilet paper roll, a flexible shaft flashlight and a digital camera. The flashlight is held up to the eye, and the toilet roll directs the light onto the pupil. The digital camera is used to take video of the pupil as it contracts. Utilizing a software program Reddy wrote, the reactions of the pupil are measured and analyzed when the light is shone into the eye.
The young innovator ultimately hopes his invention will be able to detect when drivers’ reflexes are impaired and that it will help cut down on lethal traffic crashes on a grand scale.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31 percent) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
Drugs other than alcohol — such as marijuana and cocaine — are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths, and are often used in conjunction with alcohol.