How Does the DataMaster Actually Work?
Response: The DataMaster uses an infrared light source to measure the amount of alcohol in a breath sample. (For a more detailed description see Mr. Barone’s Article: The Sauce on Source Codes: Obtaining DUI Dismissals from Software Non-Disclosures). As it turns out, organic molecules like ethanol (beverage alcohol) have an infrared signature that looks sort of like an EKG with various peaks and valleys. The trouble is that similar molecules have a similar signature. What the DataMaster does is measure infrared absorption at the two peaks that are most pronounced for ethanol. Acetone is interfering substance that is relatively common in human breath, and that has the IR signature that is most similar to ethanol (same two pronounced peaks), and there is a “filter” for acetone (these are not actually filters as such). There are many other molecules that may occur in human breath also, and there are no filters for these compounds. A plausible argument against more specificity (more filter
