Three cheers for smart beers

4 February 2015 News

South African party-goers over the 2014 festive season were treated to a uniquely interactive experience when a new ‘smart’ beer bottle from Heineken went on sale.

The igNITE bottle lights up when drinking, when toasting and in sync with the beat of the music. The electronic light show is implemented using eight LED lights, an 8-bit microprocessor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a battery and a wireless network transceiver with antenna. The LEDs are arranged facing upwards to illuminate the entire bottle when triggered and lit.

The electronic circuit is built onto a small printed circuit board that fits inside a 3D-printed housing that attaches to the bottom and hides the electronic components.

A video showing the igNITE experience and a brief glimpse of the technology behind it is up at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijL9ZhWPvK4&feature=youtu.be

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