h a l f b a k e r yStrap *this* to the back of your cat.
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The controlling device is a thermos filled with freshly brewed coffee. The slaves are the coasters with miniature motor drives and a short range network - bluetooth will do.
The camera(s) on the thermos does the hard work of mapping the coasters to people sitting around the table using a 'nearest
coaster' algorithm. Once the increasing weight on each coaster has stabilised, off it trundles to the edge of the table nearest the relevant guest.
On detecting the weight of an empty mug for the required period, it homes back to the thermos.
System could pour coffee automatically but react to hands slamming down on top of mugs in response to an itchy coaster.
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Is there a heavy-duty Gravy Train? |
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Good point. With iris scanning it should be possible to find out who's eyeing the gravy or potatoes. |
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What about the biscuits ? Or better, doughnuts ? |
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I've had a bit of eureka moment with anything dunkable. It occurs to me that the density of a biscuit is lowest when first dunked, but heads off towards the "oh bugger!" asymptote the longer it stays in the drink. The pressure sensor on the coaster could register these small changes and sound an alarm should the critical dunking time be approached. The thermos camera could further refine this feature by recognising the biscuit variety and modify the alarm time due to the increased structural integrity of e.g. a custard cream. |
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Inevitably the coffee and gravy trains will get mixed up. With hilarious consequences. |
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A coffee plane would be more of a conversational point.
Something like a model of a miniature Catalina that's
been converted into a firefighting plane, except that it
dumps coffee with accurately precise accuracy. |
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One could fool this system by tying a balloon to a full mug. If
the balloon had just enough lift power to counterbalance the
weight of the coffee, the mug would seem weightless. |
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[DrWorm] I can see where you're coming from - "Mwuahahaha, an overfilled mug. Take that modern technology!" |
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Why has no one bunned this idea? Is it because they have no coffee to go with the croissant? |
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[bigsleep]-- We luddites have to get our kicks somehow. |
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Absinthe, your photo album isn't readable for the general public; someone who's not signed up on multiply just sees an invitation to join. Fix? |
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This has a pleasing blend of charm, feasibility and over-engineering. [+] |
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Just thought I'd throw in a gravy boat. |
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BTW, this could be a Colombian Roomba |
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