Cup cake: Smart Vessyl knows what you're drinking

Vessyl, a creation of entrepreneur Justin Lee, contains sensors that analyse drinks on a molecular level. The Pepsi Challenge holds no fears for this device, which can even distinguish different brands. As well as identifying different drinks through its in-built display, Vessyl measures the beverages' nutritional content. Pour a drink into it and it will convey information about the contents – calories, sugar, protein, fat and caffeine – to a smartphone app available on iOS and Android.

Each Vessyl tracks its owner's real-time hydration using a feature called Pryme, a measure of hydration specially developed by Mark One, the company behind Vessyl. Once you have entered your height, weight, age and other characteristics into the Vessyl app, the cup will tell you how much water you need to drink at each point during the day.

Lee collaborated with legendary designer Yves Béhar to create Vessyl, which can analyse home-made drinks as well as branded ones: and yes, that includes protein shakes. The cup has a sliding, spill-proof lid and a glass-like non-stick interior. It cannot be put in the dishwasher, but it should be easy to clean. 'In many cases,' says the company, 'a quick rinse is all that’s needed.'

Innovations such as Vessyl reveal the enormous potential of the much-heralded Internet of Things. For more on the future of connected devices, read our reports on international technology fairs Le Web and CES.