MIT Student Invents Ice Cubes That Tell You When You’ve Had Enough Booze — And Will Text Friends for Help
MIT student Dhairya Dand knows first hand the consequences of drinking too much too fast and has invented edible LED ice cubes that could help others prevent learning the hard way as well.
As Dand explains in the description of his recently released video showcasing the technology, the electronics inside the ice cubes is able to track how fast and how much someone is drinking. The lights change from green to orange as a warning that the person might be hedging on drinking at an unsafe rate and change to red when they keep drinking beyond the safe limit.

(Image: Vimeo screenshot)

(Image: Vimeo screenshot)
The student who works on projects pertaining to superhuman interactions at the university is open about what happened to him and why he created “alcohol-aware glowing ice cubes.” He explains that just this past November he was drinking at a party and having a good time. He remembers only having three drinks but woke up seven hours later to find himself in the hospital. He had blacked out.
Just three weeks after that experience — MIT students work fast — he had created the glowing ice cubes, which as an added bonus beat in time with the ambient music. He also programmed them to text friends if the drinker kept going beyond the red light warning and potentially needed help.

(Image: Vimeo screenshot)
Watch Dand’s video about the ice cubes:
“In a sudden flash I had an idea of making some device that would be cool to have in a party as well as keep your alcohol intake in check,” Dand told the Huffington Post. “As I went back to think about what would be the most fun way to engage the user, I thought of ice cubes.”
Dand also said that the cubes are able to sense the alcohol’s strength, which is important for predicting the appropriate flashing light color.
“If you don’t hurry, it would take say five drinks to hit the red color. If you are having a very mild drink, it might hit red on the sixth or seventh,” Dand said to the Huffington Post.
Dand did not initially intend to market his idea for the ice cubes, but, according to the Huffington Post, is considering a crowd-funding project on Kickstarter based on the positive reaction he has gotten so far.
(H/T: Daily Mail)
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Comments (57)
Zenonic The Great
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 1:18pmOK OK OK MIT. Seriously, You cant spell alcohol?
@0:18
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Zenonic The Great
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 1:24pmIf he would have used an RGB LED he could have fit this into one cube and not three…
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Once-a-cop...
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:07pmSet your drink on the bar and use a straw.
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yanki161
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:15pm“….the cubes can RELIABLY GUESS how drunk you are.” ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Seriously? MIT huh? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
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pavepaws
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:42pm” ……invented edible LED ice cubes.” OMG. The hemorrhoids.
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kmanhooks1
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 7:00pmReally could have used this 11 days ago…
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WarMunger_Al
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:02pmHow much you want to bet this becomes a high tech drinking game. it will be called “race to red”
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The-Monk
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 6:43pmWhat happens when you use a straw?
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Eastinfection
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:12pmlol… WANGO is being extra obnoxious lately but you gotta admit, MONK… you left the doors wide open there.
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The-Monk
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 10:25pmHi East,
Yep, but apparently the doors were a bit too wide open.
Looks like a breeze came through.
And I was just going to copy and paste it to show RJJ.
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jschold
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 5:56pmbuy 3 drink at one time
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Mapache
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 9:10amor just a triple in one glass
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woodyee
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 5:55pmProbably works better as a mood ring – after three drinks the red light goes on…that’s either a “Come-ere, baaaybeh.” or a “Stay away, I’m not in the mood” signal.
I like hearing “Come-ere, baaaybeh”! YEAH BABEH!!!!
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Nancys Red Diaper Doper Babies
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 6:38pmWhen the light turns red it’s time to make your move.
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ThoreauHD
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 5:22pmThey need to test them by throwing them through a window, because that’s exactly what they’ll be used for after the light goes on.
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TotallyNotATroll
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 5:03pmYou don’t pass out and think, geez I only had three, thats just what you tell the cop during your DUI.
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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:59pm.
It will never work……………
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SquidVetOhio
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:59pmAnd yet we still haven’t cured the common cold….
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:57pmUse a STRAW and it cannot count the number of times you pick up the glass.
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00100111
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:36pmThree drinks and blacked out? Lightweight…
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coyote1hell
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:25pmGive one to every ******* in Wah. DC…..
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Eastinfection
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:20pmThey’d have more luck inventing friends that will tell you when you’ve had enough and then text ice-cubes for help.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:40pmA cool application would be for it to text the waitress when your glass was down to its last 1/4, so she could have another one ready and on its way.
Yeah, that’s me, an idea guy. :)
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The-Monk
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 5:31pmHi East,
Toooooo funny !!! : )
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YOURSENSEI
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:36pmMr or Ms GHOSTOFJEFFERSON,
This is what you must know:
Peter called. He wants his Principle back. (Yes, yes, long memories indeed.)
It is so.
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woodyee
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:10pmOkay…but…
How do you get the ice cubes into a bottle of beer?
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Acena
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:57pmAnd does it measure alcohol content ? 5 sips of 5% beer isn’t equal to 5 sips of 30% apple pie moonshine.
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DrFinch
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:07pmToo bad Ted Kennedy didn’t have some prior to plunging his car off the bridge.
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Tri-ox
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:03pmMaybe someone should gift these to Hillary, before she falls and hits her drunken commie head again!
Classic Hillary – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HkT2W_gdZ0
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Rowgue
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:02pmThat’s stupid. It doesn’t account for anything that actually matters. What you are drinking and how much alchol it actually contains, how big a glass or container you’re actually drinking out of, sex, weight, body mass index. This is nothing more than a pedometer with lights.
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Rowgue
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:11pmAnd what if the person is drinking through a straw like most women drink all their drinks.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:12pmWhy would it care who I had sex with?
Well, technically, if you get drunk enough, that might be a concern. heh :)
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hauschild
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:00pmAnother fruitless attempt at Utopia.
Will the quest ever end???.
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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:08pmBoy is this kid going to go bankrupt when the make alcohol illegal and legalize brownies instead?
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Eastinfection
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:26pmWhat we really need are syringes that tell dope-heads when they’ve had enough heroin…
or rolled up $20 bills that beep when a coke-head snorts his last pay-check.
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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 3:59pmIf you actually think you need such a “helpful device”, has it occured to you, that you should not drink?
You young people make me nervous, espcially considering how powerful the tools are you getting left to take care of?
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Rowgue
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:07pmYou hit the nail on the head. If you even entertain the thought that something like this might be helpful to you, then you don’t need to be drinking at all. You obviously lack any sort of sense of responsibility or self control.
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Locked
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 3:58pmThere’s also this crazy idea of, you know, not having to drink to have a good time?
Still, nice inventive streak and a creative idea.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:05pmHey! I’m a home brewer and a wine maker and mead maker, what you said are fightin’ words! :)
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Eastinfection
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 6:50pmlol GHOST…
Mead?
What.. no barley wine?
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Chuck Stein
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 11:09pmReminds me of a line from “It’s a Wonderful Life” (spoken by the maid for George Bailey’s parents):
“They’ve got boys and girls and music. Why do they need gin to have a good time?”
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 11:17amBarley wine is a type of ale/beer. And yes, I make that too. :)
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Clownzilla
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 3:58pmI can see it now! We can now initiate a “sip tax” on every sip we take of an “unhealthy beverage”. You can drink soda but can only have 5 sips before being taxed.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 3:56pmI already know when I’ve had too much; all the middle aged hags and some of the bar stools start appearing as attractive young ladies straight out of college cheer leading camp.
Maybe folks should mind their own business. Just what we need, a nagging electronic device to scream at us at the only time of the day when we are trying to relax and enjoy friends and company.
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:04pmYou know though, this might be fun. Imagine wiring it for your friend’s text. So when you get sufficiently hammered it texts your buddies and they come over to join your party already in progress?
Because you know that’s how it will be used. It’s how I’d use it. :)
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GuruMeditation
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:12pmhehehe… yeah when all the ladies are gorgeous and everyone is interesting, I’ve probably had enough.
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Nancys Red Diaper Doper Babies
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 6:44pm“hehehe… yeah when all the ladies are gorgeous and everyone is interesting, I’ve probably had enough.”
Enough? That just means you’ve hit the sweet spot and that it’s time to maintain.
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Onesimus
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 5:41pmThe trouble is waking up next to Janet Reno……
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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 3:56pmGreat let’s fill the drunken idiot Biden’s mini bar with those.
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kickagrandma
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:01pmbiden doesn’t have a mini-bar; he has maxi-bars.
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ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 4:21pmOr is that Maxi-Pads ?
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YOURSENSEI
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:37pmThis is what you must know:
Humor is best left to those with a sense of humor.
It is so.
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