It’s been a great summer for weird, wonderful and inspiring technologies. From the game-changing LiquiForm from Amcor and Sidel’s new joint venture, to 3D printed ice-cream and a 3D confectionery printer, so when I read about Vessyl, I just had to share.
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For the past seven years, Mark One CEO Justin Lee has been fascinated with the concept of putting computers into everyday objects. As a biomedical computing student at Queens University in Ontario, Canada, Lee worked with inventions such as computerised glasses and all sorts of smart household objects. It was that experience, combined with his interest in health and nutrition, that led him to create the Vessyl, a cup that can tell you exactly what’s in it, how many calories your beverage has and other nutritional tidbits.
“This was back in 2007 when the iPhone just came out, and there weren’t even apps on our phones yet,” Lee told Business Insider. “This was a pretty early time.”
The smart cup saw a massively successful pre-sales campaign in July when it passed its goal within two hours. Now investors are interested in the device, too. Mark One, the company that makes the Vessyl, just announced that it has raised $3m in seed funding co-led by Felicis Ventures and Horizon Ventures. Combined with the $1m in sales the company has made so far, the Vessyl has already made Mark One $4m.
With its newest round of funding, Lee and Mark One co-founder Yves Behar (known for many famous product designs, including SodaStream’s Play) plan to focus on pushing manufacturing forward. The Vessyl currently costs $99, but that price will jump to $199 once the pre-sale special is over.
Although the Vessyl has attracted a lot of press and interest within the past few weeks, others remain skeptical about how useful it actually is.
PCMag, for example, pegs it as a gimmicky device that exemplifies the type of silly objects coming out of the ‘Internet of Things’ craze. Tech Hive’s Jon Phillips calls it ‘the most ridiculous, unnecessary gadget I’ve seen demoed in all my years as a tech journalist’. Why? Because most people already know what they’re drinking, Phillips says.
Lee is promoting the Vessyl as more of a habit-changing device than a straight calorie counter, however. According to Lee, beverages are the No 1 source of unnoticed calories in our diets. In addition to tracking nutrients, the Vessyl cup can tell you whether or not you’re hydrated. Your ‘Pryme’, which is the company’s proprietary metric of your hydration needs, is displayed on the cup itself.
“When we consume beverages, even small changes can make a big impact,” Lee said. “You have that knowledge of what you’re consuming, and you can make that change.”
The Vessyl is currently available for pre-order via the company’s website, but it will not be available until early next year.
Source: Business Insider
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