The Vessyl is a new smart cup that knows what you’re drinking

In the great gadget filing cabinet of this world, there are only two places you could file the Vessyl. Either in the “When I didn’t know this existed I didn’t care, but now I do I really really want it” section, or the one headed “Why would anyone think I want this?” It’s a cup that can analyze what you are ingesting when you drink whatever it is you’re drinking and it’s got an app that allows you to input your fluid intake using a mobile device. Let’s look at its exernal attributes first. The Vessyl is gorgeous. It’s designed by Yves Behar, one of the best product designers around today. Like a cashmere sweater, it’s hand-wash only. No instruction manual is needed, the display is activated merely by tilting the cup.

Just imagine if your cup knew exactly what you were drinking, how many calories you’ve consumed, and how much caffeine is in your system. Well, that’s about to become a reality. Vessyl, which is launching a pre-sales campaign today, automatically knows what you’re drinking. The idea is to help you make smarter, healthier choices in real time. That’s because beverages are the number one source of calories, according to the National Health and Nutrition Education Survey. Once you pour any liquid into the cup, the Vessyl’s sensors will detect a variety of things. Within a matter of seconds — seriously — it can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi, and a Starbucks bottled mocha Frappuccino and Starbucks hot chocolate. Vessyl also knows how many calories are in each drink, total grams of sugar, fat, protein, sodium, and caffeine. It even estimates your hydration needs. Vessyl has been seven years in the making. Its cofounded by Justin Lee and Jawbone designer Yves Behar. Back in 2007, the team realized there were a lot of devices to track your activity, but none to track your consumption.