Thursday, November 3, 2011

New Portable Pick-Me-Up Could Make Tired Driving a Thing of the Past


drowsy driving

Did you know that driving while drowsy (having been awake for at least 17 hours without sleep) can have the equivalent effect of driving with a 0.05% blood alcohol level? Reaction times, attention to detail, and visual processing can all become impaired to the point where you're at risk of having an accident on the road.
While law enforcement are always on the lookout for drunk drivers, tired drivers are just as dangerous (and quite possibly more common, when you consider the fact that many Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night). In fact, young men aged 16-29 and individuals who work overnight are at the highest risk for driving while sleep deprived.
Many of us try the same solutions: rolling down the windows, blasting the volume on the radio, and rubbing our eyes repeatedly, all in an attempt to stay alert. The only other option, besides simply taking a nap, is to stimulate our nervous system.
A Harvard scientist by the name of David Edwards may have found an interesting solution - he's created a caffeine inhaler that he's dubbed "Aeroshot Pure Energy". Mr. Edwards is known for coming up with crazy ideas for inventions (he previously created "Le Whif", a smokeable chocolate!)

Le whif


The invention works just like an asthma inhaler. You pull down on one end of the tube, and can inhale a puff of caffeine powder that packs a punch equivalent to drinking a 12 oz Cafe Mocha, which is approximately 100 mg of caffeine. The powder is calorie free, and each tube contains 6-8 shots.
Because the powder comes in a tube, it's incredibly portable and can easily be stored in a glove compartment, giving  tired drivers a boost to help keep them focused and less accident prone.

Would you consider buying a caffeine inhaler? What do you do if you need to drive late at night and stay alert?

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