The ice cube is getting a much-needed 21st century upgrade thanks to a 23-year-old MIT student.
Dhairya Dand's Cheers is a set of LED ice cubes that change color from green to yellow to red depending on how much you've imbibed. The cubes also send a message to your designated friend if you've passed your limit. Oh yeah, they also light up to ambient music and noise.
As the video above explains, Dand came up with the idea three weeks after he was rushed to the hospital with an alcohol-induced blackout. Soon after he went to work on the project, which employs an LED, an accelerometer, IR transcievers and a battery, and are ensconced in an "edible and tasty" jelly cube. The accelerator detects motion and calculates how many sips you've had. That, coupled with the timer cube, provides an estimate to your relatively drunkenness.
The only catch: These cubes don't come cheap. It cost Dand $50 in materials to make them. On the other hand, they don't melt, either.