Embedded Lab

Dominic Peters shares his project about making an IoT breathalyzer using ESP8266 on Hackster.io. It uses the MQ3 sensor for detecting alcohol concentration on your breath. The ESP8266 reads the sensor data and post it to Cayenne IoT platform so that the data can be recorded and viewed over time from anywhere via internet.

The device needs to be portable and durable if it should be used while under the influence. The 11.1 Wh/hr lipo battery provides about 8 hours of continuous use. All the components are stuck to the battery pack with thick double sided tape. I hope this provides some shock absorption in case of drops. The enclosure is made of two 3mm aluminum plates bolted together. Aluminum is a great material to work with because it cuts and drills easily, but that also means that it is easily scratched as seen by the pictures. Regardless, it will protect the battery and electronics in most situations and I think it gives the device a rugged feel.