Are you one of those people who believe they are getting fat because of their sugar consumption but refuse to never eat sweet. Well cheer up your spirit, a tel-aviv start up company believes they cracked the code by introducing ‘Amai designer Proteins’. These designed proteins by the firm Amai are several thousand times as sweet as sugar, mostly free of an aftertaste, sustainably and affordably grown in lab, and healthy to digest.

Most sweeteners in market are based of small molecules which essentially pass through the body after being digested by liver and kidneys and posses some unforeseen risks. Amai’s sweet proteins are plant based proteins without any unforeseen risks. The only problem with them is harvesting them at scale and extracting enough protein is quite expensive and complicated. Amai has raised $850,000, mostly from Israeli government funding through the Kitchen FoodTech Hub, a food company.

Its results are already astonishing. Amai performed a test marketing in may with attendees in a food technology conference. They sampled sodas sweetened 50% with sugar and 50% with Amai proteins and 95% of attendees said they couldn’t distinguish between Amai’s offerings and regular lemon soda. If this product becomes successful and can be commercialized not only its going to solve a lot of problems in the sweetener based industry but will strive as a breakthrough innovation for decades to come.

Sources: https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-sugar-substitute-aims-to-avoid-a-bitter-end-1539961269?mod=foesummaries

The last time I remember my brother amazed me when he took out his “contactless” Barclays debit card to pay at a restaurant in London. But, payment through a wearable ring is taking the electronic payment medium to the next level. Yeah, this is not an idea that will wash off, it is true and in practice. Many banks around the globe like the Dutch bank ABN AMRO Group, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia have started selling theses wearable rings which can be linked to a debit or credit card just like our electronic cards to make a payment.

The way this tech works is it uses a similar technology like in the antennas in “contactless” bank cards that users tap on card readers. You as a purchaser just need to make your hand into a fist and held your knuckles close to a shop payment’s card reader and your work is done. However, it can leave the cashiers puzzling. When Ali Paterson, 30 tried to pay $ 5.20 for her coffee in New York using the wearable ring tech, he had to take out his phone and show the skeptical cashier an app to prove the payment went through.

I believe this tech is going to transform the electronic payment industry. Any buyer can stop worrying about their card being lost or stolen in a crowded public place. This is so convenient for guys who have to carry a thick wallet with piles of card in their butt everywhere they go. Now they can say bye to the uncomfortable way of sitting and fixing your posture every now and then. Nevertheless, you have to pay some reasonable amount of money in order to possess this technology. Commonwealth Bank of Australia has done an admirable job though in selling some 10,000 rings at 39 Australian Dollars each to its clients. I just hope this tech becomes a big thing in the United States so I can possess it.

Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-this-ring-i-thee-payno-really-i-do-1537723876

Have you ever woke up one lethargic morning, already running late to start your day and desperately in need of coffee; however in a hurry situation you either make too hot coffee or just drink the coffee straight out of the refrigerator. If you categorize yourself among the above-mentioned description then lift your spirit guys because there is a solution to your undrinkable coffee.

Let me present to you Ember ceramic smart mug which lets you control the temperature of your beverage. An extraordinary mug equipped with a built-in microprocessor and a dual-zone heating element at its base that lets you control it via smartphone. This amazing piece of tech lets you keep your coffee’s temperature stable for at least an hour. The companion app provides a wide array of temperature choices to pick from like 126 for a latte, 30 for coffee, 132 for tea. Additionally, you can also customize your own temperature. Like every coin, it also has a drawback; it is quite an expensive investment (ranging from $80-150). Because of its high-end price this good falls under luxurious goods and can only be marketed to a very narrow demographic.

The feature I find most fascinating is the “rapid cooling system” that pulls out heat from the cup to cool it more quickly so that you don’t burn your tongue when in a hurry. But, this fancy feature comes in the Ember’s pricier travel mug option sold for $150. I love the concept of the technology that can be really helpful to the C-suite employees of a company, who haven’t got time to enjoy their coffee but definitely have the money to buy such a product. Would you like to get your hands on this amazing innovation?

Reference: https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-this-smart-mug-make-your-coffee-better-1538060806?mod=foesummaries#comments_sector

“An article by Matthew Kitchen, gear and gadgets editor at Wall Street Journal”.