Breath-Based Detection Device for Drug Consumption

Background

Law enforcement agencies currently lack a reliable, portable, non-invasive method to detect recent drug consumption in the field, comparable to a breathalyzer used for alcohol detection. Existing methods — urine or blood testing — are invasive, time-consuming, and unsuitable for rapid field screening. Breath, saliva, and sweat are known to contain biomarkers correlating with recent drug use, but no indigenous, field-ready device presently exists to read them reliably.

Description

Participants are to design and build a prototype handheld device capable of detecting the presence of common narcotic substances (such as opioids, cannabis, and synthetic drugs) through breath-sample analysis, using electrochemical or equivalent sensing technology. The device should: Provide a rapid, near real-time result at the point of testing. Be portable and operable by field personnel with minimal training. Indicate a clear positive / negative / inconclusive result. Be built using accessible sensor components suitable for a working prototype demonstration.

Expected Deliverables

A working hardware prototype capable of demonstrating breath-sample analysis and producing a result, along with a brief technical explanation of the sensing method used and its accuracy on a provided or self-generated test set.

Note to Participants

This is a proof-of-concept prototype intended to demonstrate technical feasibility. It is not expected to be a forensically validated or field-certified device at the end of the hackathon.