In a context where there has never been as much drug use in Europe, the aim of Pill-ID isn’t to stop young people using (which would be utopic), but to well and truly put technology at the service of good, by helping reduce drug overdoses and therefore ultimately help save lives. And we think it’s possible! Using technology that is already available (object recognition) mixed with the technology of machine Learning/tenserflow and the MDMA pill data base that already exists.

Pill-ID is an application project combining the data technology of machine learning, tenserflow (a Google technology) and the Nuit Blanche data base, with the aim of helping young people and emergency services to quickly identify MDMA. By scanning a pill, or searching by colour or symbol, the user can rapidly identify a drug and understand the risks involved. For emergency services, this can help to identify what a person has taken before or during an overdose, allowing them to work more quickly and more effectively.

In Europe, in the post-pandemic context, where the idea of “returning to normal” is synonymous with the return of festivals and parties, hard drug use has never been a more important subject. The use of MDMA is on the increase as are the existence of many fake versions. But there are thousands in circulation and their design, shape and effects are constantly changing. The “Nuit Blanche” data base, a Swiss government data base tracks the various drugs in circulation. To understand their effects, and to be able to share the data in real time with young people, party organizers, and health workers, could help prevent the risk of overdose and provide emergency services with useful information.

The MVP (minimum valuable product) version of Pill-ID was launched in July 2021. Since, and because of the enthusiasm of the various target groups (users, event organisers, emergency services, etc), the app is in the process of being developed to launch a V2, which will be launched locally to help emergency services quickly identify drugs circulating in their area. Long-term, the idea is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to use the app, particularly young people so they can identify what they’re about to take and be warned of the risks involved

The MVP version of Pill-ID was a huge media success when it launched, with wide media coverage in France and the UK, mainly online and in media specialised in tech and the party scene.

The main people concerned (festival organisers and party planners), emergency services, associations, but also drug users or members of their families, showed great interest in being part of the V2 app.