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Intelligent Coasters Keep Beer Mugs Full

Posted by Zonk on from the best-science-ever dept.

Dotnaught writes "CNN.com is reporting that two German students have invented a beer mat, or coaster, that uses sensor chips to determine when the beer glass it supports is empty and then radios the bartender for a refill. One of the students interviewed for the story suggested that lifting mugs from sensing mats could double as a voting system during karaoke competitions." From the article: "Unlike the usual cardboard beer mats, the invention is made out of plastic, which means it does not absorb water. Butz said that to get around the problem, ordinary cardboard mats could be placed on top of the plastic version to absorb liquid and display advertising. 'Cardboard beer mats could still sit on top of the plastic mat and there could still be advertising, and you would just exchange the cardboard mat when you wanted to change the advertising.'"

8 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Phew by SpiffyMarc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thank god we can display advertising on the cardboard.

  2. A beer gadget! by lheal · · Score: 5, Funny

    My life is complete. Now I don't even have to speak to bartenders! I can just use my mouth for its One True Purpose, the ingestion of sufficient quantities of "liquid bread".

    Germany is where?

    --
    Raise your children as if you were teaching them to raise your grandchildren, because you are.
    1. Re:A beer gadget! by No+Salvation · · Score: 5, Funny
      Tomorrows news...
      CNN.com is reporting that two German students have invented a beer stool, or chair, that uses sensor chips to determine when the occupant it supports has fallen off and then radios for a cab.
      --
      I'm agneglectic, too lazy to care if there is a God.
  3. I know this is hard to believe, but... by phlegmofdiscontent · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sometimes, I don't WANT another beer (usually when I can't afford another beer).

  4. Re:It can tell when a glass is empty... by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...but can it tell when you've had enough for the night?

    What, reinvent the wife?

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  5. Sounds like something out of SciFi. by zwilliams07 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Giving the coasters total control of beer? They could keep mankind enslaved.

    I, for one, welcome our new Intelligent Coaster Overlords.

  6. Re:It can tell when a glass is empty... by shayne321 · · Score: 4, Funny
    ...but can it tell when you've had enough for the night?

    Absolutely - the production model will have an LCD display on top that periodically flashes up photos of fat women. When it hears you drunkenly slur "I'd like to get me some of dat" it will automatically charge your existing bar tab to your credit card, call you a taxi, and call your wife and make excuses about why you're coming home drunk. The deluxe model will even automatically cancel your meetings/classes the following morning, and automatically purchase roses to be delivered to your wife.

    --
    Today I didn't even have to use my AK; I got to say it was a good day -- Icecube
  7. Re:Finally by SpottedKuh · · Score: 3, Funny
    What insensitive clod would design something to replace a sexy, breasty, scantily clad bar girl???

    Allow me to quote from the article:
    Butz, who now works as professor of computer science at the University of Munich, specializes in human computer interaction.
    They're computer scientists. They're intimidated by sexy, breasty, scantily clad bar girls. However, they're German (and university denizens at that), hence they like beer.

    I believe they've found the perfect solution to their problem!