Are You Ready For Ice Cubes That Tell How Much You're Drinking?
Those of us who have blacked out from hitting the sauce too hard usually take the occurrence as a lesson (as in, knowing your limits, and not doing it again). But designer Dhairya Dand, who endured an alcohol-induced episode of his own, actually created something to prevent similar future experiences: ice cubes that monitor your consumption.
Dand, a product designer who's currently installed at MIT's Media Lab, spent just a few short weeks last fall working on the concept and development behind what he's named "Cheers": waterproof jelly "ice" cubes containing an LED, accelerometer, IR transceivers and battery that change color as you knock the drinks back.
Here's how they work: When you sip from a cup containing the cubes, the accelerometer measures the motion data (aka, the number of sips measured in proportion to time passing), while the flashing LED changes colors, from green to orange, and finally red. Red obviously means it's time to switch over to water, but should that warning go unignored, the cubes can actually send a text message to a designated pal.
Of course, the cubes aren't exactly an accurate measure of one's blood-alcohol level; a sip is different from a gulp, which is different from glugging, especially when it comes to an individual's tolerance and the kind of booze being consumed. But overall, Dand's invention is a clever step towards even more tech-savvy developments in the hangover prevention department.
Each cube contains an LED, batter, IR transmitter, and an accelerometer to measure your motion in time.[/caption]
Dand formed his cubes in an edible form of jelly, though we wouldn't recommend eating.[/caption]
