Keeping beer mugs filled in restaurants and bars can be a very difficult job. However, the problem may just have been solved by two German students who invented a new "smart beer mat" coaster that keeps track of how full your mug is. According to this report on CNN.com:
The "smart" beer mat, created by Matthias Hahnen and Robert Doerr from Saarland University in Saarbruecken, southwest Germany, can sense when a glass is nearly empty, sending an alert to a central computer behind the bar so waiters know there are thirsty customers.
This invention definitely doesn't solve world hunger but it does serve its purpose and that deserves some merit. I wonder if this beer mat could send its signals wirelessly? Or better yet the functionality could be built into a beer mug to monitor other characteristics other then just mug fullness. For example, it might be useful to let servers know the temperature of your beer because a warm beer can sometimes be as big of a problem as an empty one. It's be nice for servers to come by with a fresh pint when you are milking a warm one.
To see what the rest of the blogosphere thinks about the new beer invention check out Dvorak Uncensored, Divisions of Labour, Smart Mobs, This Guy and short fat guy online.
