
Having founded several business start-ups in his life, David Gandini wanted to make a difference with his next one. “I really wanted to do something that would have more of a social impact or a long-lasting impact. So, when I am discussing what I did in my life with my grandchildren, I can point to something that was significant,” he explained to me in a recent interview with The Phoenix Spirit. So, his next project became one that addressed alcohol use disorder, producing a tool that is not only unique, but next generation in its application, compared to current tools on the market. His company, SOBRsafe™, is forging new pathways by making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, SOBRsafe is a relatively young company. However, it has quickly grown from a handful of initial founders to a business with around fifteen employees today. David Gandini is the CEO and Chairman of SOBRsafe which is based in Denver, Colorado. The company has growing business interests within North America and the rest of the world (including Australia). Its growth perhaps signals the need for such a company and is reflected in the statistics that SOBRsafe’s research has uncovered.
“By next year [2025], according to our statistics, there will be 30 million Americans seeking some type of alcohol use disorder. It’s very expensive [for recovery options]. AI is being used now with a much more cost-effective solution,” David confirmed.
So how does SOBRsafe address the needs of the alcohol use recovery community? And just how does AI fit into that?
The inspiration

As many people know, alcohol disorders not only destroy the life of the person abusing alcohol, but the life of those around them. “We recognized that alcohol abuse was a major problem in this country (and globally),” David said. “The initial thought process was that we were going to develop something that would be similar to a breathalyzer…but then we decided that all we wanted to do was detect alcohol.” A breathalyzer, by contrast, measures the amount of alcohol in the blood.
With that in mind, SOBRsafe kept the idea of the breathalyzer when developing testing but wanted to make it more efficient. “We thought the breathalyzer was not efficient. It was inhumane because of what we are hearing from a number of our users. Every time they got back to blowing into something, it brings them back to that time [of using]. So, what we came up with was something that was really more efficient, less inhumane and more hygienic (especially during COVID when we started).” David stated. “We thought that we could develop a fully digital solution (placing a finger on a device vs. blowing into a device) in touch and wearable form.”
The products
SOBRsafe therefore came up with two unique products: SOBRcheck™ and SOBRsure™. “To get the technology was a combination of hard work, luck, and timing,” David admitted. But the end result produced two solid products which are proving popular, both with general users and behavioral health facilities.
“SOBRcheck and SOBRsure are two different parts of a solution,” Rachel Roark, SOBRsafe team member, interjected.
This is super humane when you check in. It’s ten seconds and you sit down.SOBRcheck is an IOT (Internet of Things) device which connects through the internet or through ethernet. It is a stationary product. It has a biometric ID reader and an alcohol sensor. You place your finger in the biometric reader. “In ten seconds, it determines who you are and whether you have alcohol in your system,” David outlines. Behavioral health facilities are prime target users for SOBRcheck.
SOBRsure is a wearable device that monitors the same information in real time. Similar to a Fitbit, it continuously monitors the user yet is so discreet in its wearable application that most people would not know the difference between a Fitbit and the SOBRsure device at first glance. The first SOBRsure band was launched in September 2023 with an updated version launched in November 2024.
SOBRsure connects to a mobile application so it is tethered to a user’s phone. It has the ability to produce daily, weekly, and monthly reports to track the user’s progress. This information is also available to the care provider/manager at the behavioral health facility, given that the SOBRsure and SOBRcheck devices share the same dashboard.
Why it’s different
If you enter a behavioral health facility which doesn’t have a SOBRcheck device, you usually hand over your identification, blow into a breathalyzer, then the results and the information are typed in. In contrast, a facility that has a SOBRcheck device identifies a user by their biometrics and detects if alcohol was in use – with one discreet touch of the user’s finger on the biometric reader.
“This is super humane when you check in. It’s ten seconds and you sit down. It’s not uncomfortable and you’re not blowing in front of a bunch of people sitting in the waiting room. It’s very discreet and it’s all digital.” David summarizes. “It’s a perfect device to use at check-in.”
SOBRsafe are gaining traction within the behavioral health industry because of this unique and discreet way of checking people in. David told me that SOBRsafe see it as “the new standard,” moving forward.
SOBRcheck and SOBRsure are completely compatible, sharing the same dashboard and user interface. If a user checks into a behavioral health facility wearing a SOBRsure device, the information is automatically synced with the SOBRcheck device when the biometric reader detects the user.
The future of alcohol use disorder use recovery
David stressed that SOBRcheck and SOBRsure are not medical devices. “[They are] a preventive device. So, we sell to both consumers and to behavioral health. Oil and gas companies also use this to check alcohol [levels] for their workplace and keep the workplace safe.” However, their primary focus at the moment is on behavioral health and then consumer use.
It’s kind of like my sponsor on my wrist but it’s a constant reminder because you are always connectedSOBRsafe devices are currently available in North America (US and Canada), with testing being carried out in India and Italy. They have just acquired a channel partner who has launched SOBRsafe products in Australia and New Zealand where the same market (behavioral health) is being targeted. However, the best customer support for SOBRsafe is, at this moment, in North America.
David explained the importance that SOBRsure is having on users. “The wristband is viewed as their partner through the journey. One individual reported that ‘Every time I was ready to have a drink, I looked at the band and it reminded me of all the struggles and stress that I put myself and my family through. It’s kind of like my sponsor on my wrist but it’s a constant reminder because you are always connected.’” He adds, “Say you wanted to use this, and you had an issue, and your husband/boyfriend/mother/aunt wanted to make sure you are safe, they would see the results. You can connect them to your app, and they can see what you’re doing. If you get into trouble, with GPS they can go to a location and find you and help you out of that situation.”
David reiterated both the changes, influences, and benefits that SOBRsafe is having on the industry and the next generation technology which is being used: “This [device] is a significant change to an industry [which has] been doing the same thing for the past six decades or so. We have a significant marketing program, and we have our first internet influencer, Jason Wahler [TV personality and recovery advocate]. He has alcohol abuse disorder, and he is building an audience.”
He continues: “[The device is] unique: No urine, no blood, no blowing. It’s touch base or on your wrist 24/7. It’s real time and the data is real time, and the data reporting is significant because it’s a non-mandatory device. Individuals who are using this want to gain sobriety, they want to pull their lives and their families back together.”
David ends with: “It’s absolutely unique and I think why we are gaining notoriety and traction. We like to say it’s ‘the new standard’ (compared to what people are used to).”
And the story doesn’t end here. SOBRsafe have recently acquired a new customer, Orbiit Recovery, who has developed a complimentary tool that will enhance SOBRsafe’s products further. Rachel explained that they have “an AI chatbox that customers can vent to if they are in crisis. And SOBRsafe is helping to monitor them and support them in that process as well. So, it’s an interesting way how their technology and ours is helping to support folks in recovery.”
The future of alcohol use disorder recovery is looking decidedly futuristic; those in recovery now have some powerful new tools that have never been available before. Yet, the benefits of such tools are remarkable, and the recovery landscape will most likely be seeing more and more next generation tools in use in the future.
Sharon Chapman is a published author and editor with over fifteen years’ experience. She is the published author of Authentic Aromatherapy and editor for various US publications. Learn more about her freelance writing, editing, and publishing services.
Last Updated on January 17, 2025