Data-Collecting IOT Teapot, Teplo 2.0
Brew a pot of tea based on mood, energy levels and more with this clever appliance
Gathering information from the consumer, their environment, and their desired tea selection, the Teplo 2.0 can brew tea perfectly suited for everybody. The IOT teapot may seem very niche, but tea-drinkers will be impressed. And the brand’s founder says the surveying process (which is now automated) is a deeply rooted aspect of traditional tea making and drinking.
“Traditional tea masters change tea brewing conditions by seeing or feeling the drinker’s mental and physical state. With the information they collect, they are able to brew a personalized cup of tea that the person can enjoy not only for its taste, but also for other factors such as intensity, sweetness and warmth,” co-founder and CEO Kazunori Kawanobe says. “Our goal with Teplo is to capture some of that ritual in a convenient, beautiful design that puts brewing control back into the drinker’s hands.”
A touch sensor on the teapot collects the drinker’s heart rate and temperature. Various other sensors on the device collect environmental data: room temperature, brightness of surrounding lights, humidity and sounds. All of this data then directs the teapot to prepare the tea a certain way. For example, if the user is stressed (signaled by temperature and heart rate) then the tea will be brewed to a lower heat setting to yield a sweeter result. If the user is tired (signaled by dim lights or a slower heart rate) then the tea will circulate in hotter water to yield a more caffeinated cup. The tea sits in an infuser, which descends into the water when the correct temperature has been reached, rotates until the desired strength has been brewed, then ascends again to prevent the tea from over brewing.
Once users have selected a tea—one sourced by Teplo or elsewhere—they can use the app to tell the brewer what type of tea it is, and then use the recommended brewing profile or manually enter a different version to taste.
The Teplo 2.0 is available to back now ($249) on Kickstarter.
