Not all wearable Health Tech products are based on digital technology. Sometimes all it takes is some clever materials science research to produce a product that can have a major impact on the lives of people. Such is the case with “Wearable Colors,” which is the result of a project by four undergraduate students at North Carolina State University. These four young men turned their attention to the problem of sexual assault in this country, with particular focus on younger women as the victims. They wanted to create something to help prevent the use of “date rape” drugs to render victims helpless.
They hit upon the idea of creating a nail polish that would change color in the presence of a dangerous chemicals. A person wearing the polish could simply stir a drink with a fingertip — which is a normal action — and be able to determine whether or not someone has tampered with the beverage. The goal was to shift the fear and uncertainty from the victim to the potential perpetrator, giving the target individual control of the situation.
The team was given access to NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, which is qualified to do tests using DEA controlled substances. The project was selected as the first place winner in NC State’s Entrepreneurship Initiative in partnership with Lulu. The team has received an Entrepreneurship Initiative Fellowship that will provide a stipend and continued access to the university’s facilities after graduation. Their hope is that they will be able to develop Undercover Colors into a commercial product.
