A coffee mug equipped with sensors and operated via an app turns traveling users into baristas

For many coffee lovers, traveling means giving up their daily cup of handmade java. The iKoffy GoBrew espresso machine aims to change that as it is designed to let users be their own barista on the go.

Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, GoBrew comes in the form of a 10-ounce (296 ml) “smart” insulated coffee mug that communicates via Bluetooth with an iOS/Android app on the user’s smartphone.

The waterproof electronics in the base of the cup include a circuit board, a pressure sensor (which acts like a scale), an LED display and a 400 mAh lithium battery. One charge of this battery is enough for a month of daily use.

iKoffy

Users start by selecting a recipe from the app, which indicates the required weight of coffee beans. The beans are then gradually added to the cup, and both the display and the app show their increasing total weight in real time.

Once the required weight is reached, the beans are poured into a portable grinder from another company, which admittedly Is an additional piece of hardware that the user must supply. One option is to take pre-ground beans with you when traveling, although this means they won’t be freshly ground in every serving.

After the beans anyway To have ground, they are placed in a dripper with a filter that is placed on top of the cup. Any dripper should work, although a foldable model tailored to your specific system is optionally available.

From this point, all you need to do is add freshly boiled water. This process is once again controlled by an app that tracks factors such as the amount of water added (via its weight) and brewing time. Users who want to innovate can instead of following any recipe, take a DIY approach and save a record of their experiments in the app.

iKoffy

The mug itself has a double-walled stainless steel body, an enameled exterior and a ceramic-lined interior. It also has a tapered internal profile, which iKoffa says is designed to “increase the flow of coffee in the cup, ensuring even distribution and helping to release the coffee aroma and flavor.”

A clear polycarbonate lid sits on top and pops out with a silicone gasket that is reported to create a 100% leak-proof seal. The cup is said to quickly cool its liquid contents to a mouth-watering temperature of 80°C (176°F) and then keep it warm for up to five hours.

Assuming all goes well, the $87 price tag will get you your own GoBrew cup – the collapsible dripper is an additional $19. Planned retail prices are $149 and $30, respectively.

The video below shows the brewing process supported by the application.

Sources: Kickstarter, iKoffy