Ethylowheel is proud to announce the upcoming Kickstarter launch of EthyloKey, a new category of pocket-sized, contact-based alcohol-awareness device designed to help users better understand their alcohol consumption before driving — effortlessly, discreetly, and responsibly.
Launching on Kickstarter on January 8, 2026, EthyloKey combines patented sensor technology, thoughtful product design, and intuitive real-time feedback to support alcohol awareness in everyday life – without mouthpieces, forced blowing, or socially awkward gestures.
Why EthyloKey?
Most people don’t use a breathalyzer when they should – not because they don’t care, but because existing tools are inconvenient, embarrassing, or impractical in real-life situations. Devices designed for enforcement or professional use rarely fit into everyday social moments.
Alcohol awareness should be as simple and natural as checking the time. It should happen before getting behind the wheel – quietly, quickly, and without friction.
EthyloKey was created to remove those barriers and turn prevention into a simple habit – empowering individuals to pause, reflect, and make more informed decisions, while remaining fully responsible for their choices.
Simple, Visual Guidance
With a brief finger touch, users receive color-coded indicative feedback designed to support understanding and self-evaluation. This guidance helps users assess whether they may be above commonly accepted legal limits, depending on context and local regulations.
🟢 Green – Lower alcohol presence detected
🟠 Orange – Elevated alcohol presence detected
🔴 Red – High alcohol presence detected
🔵 Blue – Test could not be completed
EthyloKey is discreet, eco-conscious, and shareable, making it suitable for both personal and everyday social use.
A New Approach to Alcohol Awareness
Traditional breathalyzers have remained largely unchanged for decades: bulky, slow, and poorly adapted to everyday use.
EthyloKey explores a different approach by leveraging insensible perspiration of ethanol – a natural phenomenon where trace amounts of alcohol are released through the skin after consumption. Using a patented sensor system and proprietary algorithms, EthyloKey analyzes ethanol vapors at the skin surface and provides indicative, real-time guidance to help users evaluate their situation before driving.
EthyloKey is designed as a prevention and awareness tool, not as a certified breathalyzer, medical device, or law-enforcement instrument.
How It Works
- Capture
Ethanol vapors emitted through the skin are captured within a controlled micro-volume. - Detection
Specialized gas sensors analyze the concentration of ethanol vapor. - Interpretation
Proprietary machine-learning algorithms translate these signals into indicative alcohol-awareness feedback, delivered in seconds.
Laboratory testing against certified breathalyzers has shown consistent correlation patterns, with a short detection delay compared to breath-based methods.
Smart, Connected & Adaptive
EthyloKey connects via Bluetooth to a companion mobile app (iOS & Android), enhancing the experience with:
- Alcohol awareness history
- Predictive alcohol curve visualization
- Safety reminders
- Multi-user profiles
- Adaptation of legal reference thresholds based on the user’s country or location
This connected approach allows EthyloKey to remain flexible in a world where alcohol regulations vary globally.
Design & Specifications
- Dimensions: ~40 mm diameter × 15 mm height (1.6 in × 0.6 in)
- Weight: ~20–30 g (0.7–1 oz)
- Materials: Aluminum housing, stainless steel, high-grade polycarbonate
- Battery: Rechargeable coin-cell battery with wireless charging
- Connectivity: Bluetooth for iOS & Android apps
- Available Colors: Space Grey and Rose Gold
Designed for everyday carry, EthyloKey features a miniaturized, pocket-friendly form factor and a sealed, cable-free charging system.
Why It Matters
Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the most persistent and well-documented road safety issues worldwide. According to European road safety authorities, alcohol is estimated to be involved in roughly one quarter of fatal road accidents across Europe. In the United States, data from national road safety agencies shows that alcohol-impaired driving continues to cause more than 30 deaths every day.
Despite these well-known risks, voluntary use of personal breathalyzers remains extremely limited outside of enforcement or professional settings.
The gap is not awareness — it’s usability.
EthyloKey aims to help close that gap by making alcohol awareness intuitive, accessible, and stigma-free, encouraging people to pause and reflect before getting behind the wheel.
Founder Quote
“Alcohol awareness should be simple, intuitive, and part of everyday life – not a device people avoid,”
says Jaime Alonso, CEO and co-founder of Ethylowheel.
“With EthyloKey, we’re introducing a new approach to prevention – designed for real life, to help people make more informed decisions without friction or judgment.”
Kickstarter Launch
EthyloKey will make its global debut on Kickstarter on January 8, 2026.
Pricing will start at $159, with limited early-bird offers available for early supporters who want to be part of this new generation of alcohol-awareness tools.