Beer Stein Goes Hi Tech

Spudley writes "Beer is a subject close to many slashdot-readers' hearts, so you'll be pleased to learn that Mitsubishi has invented a glass that can tell when it's empty, and order a refill from the bar. Of course, it'll still have to be filled the old fashioned way, but at least the bar staff will know which ones need refilling - the... ehm... empty ones." I like that it's dishwasher safe. Drunk people can't be trusted to hand wash glass.

Comments

Good idea? Maybe...

[donutz]

Yahoo is also running a similar story, based on a New Scientist article. In the New Scientist article, this technology makes sense: in a restaurant setting, waiters can make sure to keep people's glasses topped off, that way the customers stay happier. But in a pub setting, I dont see this technology working as well. I mean, how does the glass know when the drinker has drunk enough for the night? Obviously it doesn't....and because everyone is different, there's no algorithm that can tell you how much a person should be allowed to drink, and that'd be treading on the person's privacy anyway. But yeah, I'd love to see this used on restaurant soda and water glasses...

Price per glass?

[Arethan]

I didn't see any mention of price on the page.
It has to be comparable to the price of a regular glass, or bars and restaurants simply won't buy them. Broken dishes happen in these places. There is simply no denying it, and no way around it. Damn near everyone has been in an establishment and heard it happen. I can understand an owner shying away from these if they turn $100 in broken dishes into $1000 in broken dishes.

Re:Beer sucks

[mckeowbc]

I think you just stepped on some toes, including mine. I home brew beer, and I don't drink it to get drunk. Beer has a long and colorful history, and has been enjoyed through the ages. Many people don't agree with you. Personally I like the taste of beer, now if all you have had is Bud Coors and Miller than I can understand why you don't like beer. However, there are some very good microbrews, and even things like Sam Adams can be very enjoyable. And not all beer is incredibly bitter, bitterness is a quality that is affected by the ingredients. A very strongly hopped beer like a Pale Ale will be bitter, however, I find that beers like Guiness, and Sam Adams Spring and Summer ales to be much less bitter. Guiness is almost creamy, and I've considred trying it on pancakes, and Sam Adams Spring and Summer ales are very mild, and in the case of the Summer actually have a slight fruity flavor to them. Before making a statement "All beer sucks" I sample something more than just the ass beer that fills the shelves and coolers of most gas stations an convenient stores.

Application: karaoke bars.

[sulli]

Those of you who have been to Japan or Japanese neighborhoods in the US will be familiar with the "karaoke box" type bar, where the user rents a room and sings with 10-20 of his closest friends.

Now many of these places offer bottled beer because there isn't a good way to offer draft beer when you don't have a bartender in the room. And putting a tap in the room would be an invitation to massive floods when a drunken salaryman (or woman) accidentally forgets that he needs a glass for all that beer he's drinking.

But with this solution, problem solved! The manager simply looks at the beer status display, and when enough glasses show up as empty on the display, he sends a waiter back to the room with freshly poured Super Dry. Happy customers, more revenue, perfect!