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Another Beer Please

Posted by michael on from the brooklyn-lager dept.

jmichaelg writes "What do you get when you combine a glass, a PIC computer, two capacitors, a coil and a zener Diode? A wireless beer glass that signals your waiter when you need a refill. The circuit is an RFID transponder that measures the fluid level in a glass and transmits a globally unique ID coupled to the fluid level reading when queried by an antenna hidden in your table. The query provides enough power to drive the circuit so no batteries are needed. A technical paper describes the circuitry in the table and the glass." This hit the news over a year ago, but we didn't have the technical details.

11 of 333 comments (clear)

  1. Finally! by macshune · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Some use for RFIDs that doesn't lead to a police state! Only more beer for all! Horray for bread & circuses!

    1. Re:Finally! by shyster · · Score: 4, Insightful
      WOW! I'm amazed at this technology, waiters simply looking at the glass and checking on their tables regularly would never work. I hope they come out with plates that somehow tell you when you're done chewing your food so people know when to swallow too.

      Speaking as a former waiter, I know that a good deal of a waiter's time is taken up by simply checking on fluid levels. And that some people will have a full glass of beer/water/whatever for 10 minutes, but then drain the entire glass in 60 seconds. Quite difficult to time that refill.

      If the waiter no longer had to constantly monitor drinks, it would free them up to handle more customers and/or provide better service.

  2. So what happens when... by sTavvy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You don't want another drink, but your glass/table has ordered you another one, and teh waiter brings it over???
    and then proceeds to add the drink to the bill even though you didn't drink it, but you did order it.?

    1. Re:So what happens when... by pod · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well, common sense tells me that the sensor will signal your server, who will come over and ask if anyone wants another drink. Just because it's RFID doesn't mean it has to be complicated, or track you, or infringe your freedoms, or take money out of your wallet.

      --
      "Hot lesbian witches! It's fucking genius!"
    2. Re:So what happens when... by SaraSmith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because people are FUCKING STUPID. Arbys and Taco Bell have both tried this, and people can't figure it out. "Duh... I pushed taco and said my order was done, now it says to pay the cashier?? what do I do???"

  3. Definitely neat. But... by mackstann · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is it REALLY that hard to just walk around and look at peoples' glasses?

    Yes, ideally, someday, we can all just lay around half conscious, being tended to by robots. It'll be great, because robots are NEAT!

    I think it's good to be a bit of a luddite.

  4. Responsible Service of Alcohol by sTavvy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Also kind of throws the "Responsible service Of Alcohol" policy that we have in Australia.
    How is the glass going to know how drunk the person is, and if they should be seerved any more alcohol?

  5. Oh christ by Tokerat · · Score: 4, Insightful


    RFID tags are only as evil as those who use them. Just because your beer glass has an RFID tag in it does NOT mean you need a tin-foil hat to go to the bar.

    You know, you coudl complain just as much about 802.11 and Bluetooth, because they can be used in similar ways with a little effort.

    Monitor the general vicinity of your laptop? Record what store security systems your PDA enters? Hell, triangulate your cel phone signal (and now GPS it), a wireless electronic item quite personally associated with you by a corporate entity, nonetheless.

    Please TFY next time. That's "Think For Yourself", and I think it should become as popular as "IANAL" and "RTFA" here on "/."

    (Sorry if this was a joke, but the first thing I thought of when I read this article is "Great, another RFID bitchfest")

    --
    CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
  6. Not in the UK by MattBurke · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not sure if this is just a Banks' (Midlands-based brewery) thing or if it's law, but staff in Banks' pubs are trained to give you a fresh glass each time, never refill on health&safety grounds.

  7. RFID by Pompatus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'd be willing to bet you would have to wait just as long for a refil, since your waiter is most likely responsible for more than just your empty beer glass. The wait time is not due to not noticing, it is due to being in a queue.

    A friend of mine is a bartender. It takes me forever to get a refill if his bar is busy, because he knows I'm not going to get mad at him if I have to wait an extra five minutes to get a drink. (and of course, I will be understanding of the extra wait time because an entire evening of drinking costs me $20 with an included $12 tip)

    --

    ----
    Squirrel ... It's not just for breakfast anymore
  8. Re:This isn't helping by BrokenHalo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And who would want the damn thing to order another beer when you've had enough? Perhaps this guy should go and get a life (or at least a job).