Skip to main content

Trick your brain into thinking the water you're drinking is a fruity beverage

This cup says it can make ordinary water taste like berries or cola purely through aroma

The Coca-Cola-funded Global Energy Balance Network recently disbanded after it was accused of trying to counter evidence that food impacts weight more than exercise, suggesting people could simply workout more to counteract sugary drinks like Coke. There are a glut of smart cups and water bottles coming to crowdfunding sites that promise to help you go a healthier route by lighting up when you need to get your hydration on, but that might not help when you’re craving something with a little more zip.

Instead of making the water itself fruitier or filling it with artificial sweetener, the Right Cup has a different approach to making H2O more flavorful: using “aromatic fruit flavor” and a “hint of sweet” from the cup itself to transform water into a flavored beverage.

Try this experiment from Tom Finger, a professor at the University of Colorado-Denver Medical School: Plug your nose and start eating a jelly bean. When you’ve chewed it halfway, unplug your nose. The watermelon, vanilla, popcorn, or earwax flavor should suddenly appear. That’s because scent is a huge part of taste.

With its mixed berry, orange, peach, apple, lemon-lime, and cola cups, the company says your brain is tricked into tasting these flavors. Creator Isaac Levi says that after he was diagnosed with diabetes, his doctor told him to stay away from sugary drinks, but he was bored by water.

During the BPA-free plastic cup’s manufacturing process, “the aroma and flavor become integral parts of the cup itself in a manner that does not change the plastic characteristics in any way,” according to the company. It’s shaped so your nose is getting a blast of aromatics with each sip. The cup’s aroma starts to dissipate after six months.

So, does the Right Cup actually work? No idea, but over 2,400 backers have pledged more than $154,000 to its Indiegogo campaign. You can get two cups for $49, with shipping expected in April 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Roku (yes, Roku) make a home security camera, and it’s discounted today
The Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera on colored background.

Roku might not seem like the first brand you think of when it comes to security camera deals but you’ll be surprised how cheaply you can get a security camera at Walmart right now thanks to the discount going on. Currently, you can buy the Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera SE 2-pack for just $35 instead of $50 so you’re saving $15 while scoring some great cameras for less. Want to know more? Here’s everything we know.

Why you should buy the Roku Smart Home Indoor Camera SE 2-pack
Roku doesn’t feature in our look at the best home security cameras but don’t let that put you off. It has everything you could need from inexpensive indoor security cameras. Each camera enables you to see an entire area with 1080p HD picture in full colour. That includes at night, all via the Roku Smart Home app. It’s possible to set specific motion detection zones so you can cut down on false alerts while the camera can detect motion or sound with smart sensors even detecting body heat so you won’t see them be activated by something like a curtain moving in the wind.

Read more
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch picks up new features with the Z-Wave Smart Module
Several Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch models on a yellow background.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch launched last year, bringing a fingerprint sensor to one of our favorite smart locks. Now, Yale is making the keypad even more enticing by offering a Z-Wave Smart Module with your purchase, which gives you additional smart functions and added connectivity.

The Z-Wave Smart Module is a piece of hardware that slots into the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch so it can communicate with devices outside the Yale ecosystem. When installed, the module lets the Assure Lock 2 Touch sync with Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Hey Google, and Siri. You can also sync the lock with various smart lights and security systems that support Z-Wave.

Read more
Anker SOLIX X1 offers effective solar power storage for your home backup
Anker SOLIX X1 solar battery storage outside with family nearby

A major challenge of solar power as a primary energy source is that, as abundant as it is, it's not always available. Solar systems do not generate energy at night, obviously, but energy production is reduced during overcast, dark, or stormy days. Moreover, other factors can affect energy production, like the cleanliness or condition of the solar panels and the amount of sunlight they get during the day -- which can be influenced by the sun's location in the sky or where the panels are installed -- and much more. It simply means that to use solar energy systems effectively, you need some kind of storage device to preserve energy for use during the off-hours. While several products on the market do this, the X1 from Anker SOLIX is one of the most intriguing and powerful solar energy storage systems we’ve seen.

Anker SOLIX X1 | Energy Storage, Energy Savings, Energy Freedom

Read more