Elizabeth Harrington reports at the Free Beacon:

The National Institutes of Health is preparing to spend millions on research studies to develop jewelry and clothes that can monitor the alcohol intake of Americans.

The agency recently submitted two grant opportunities, asking for submissions from applicants to receive federal funding to develop "wearable alcohol biosensors."

"Rapid advances are being made in wearable technology, including clothing, jewelry and other devices with broadly diverse functions that meet medical or consumer needs," according to the funding opportunity. . . .

"It is envisioned that wearable alcohol monitors will serve useful purposes in research, clinical, and treatment settings, will play a role in public safety, and will be of interest to individuals interested in keeping track of personal health parameters," the agency states, according to Harrington. 

"Designs may emphasize any of these potential market subsets or may seek to be broadly marketable."

Ah, yes: "Broadly Marketable." No doubt the secret police from authoritarian regimes around the world are already standing in line. For if wearable technology exists to monitor drink, you can also expect to see "wear tech" able to monitor in real time a host of other behaviors.

If you're going to run a safe and secure plantation, education camp, or "forward-looking" regime, it's crucial to know how often and how much workers, slaves, underbosses, rebels, rejects, and rivals are drinking, sleeping, talking, and laboring -- not to mention planning escapes, coups, or Declarations of Independence.

Read more.