When healthful gadgets go too far
It seems the human race is becoming increasingly unable to survive without technology.
Case in point: Sportline has announced plans to release a hi-tech water bottle that will track the amount of water consumed and remind the user to drink more when necessary.
The bottle features a computer that calculates and personalizes the user’s optimal hydration, average the amount of water drunk per hour, and how close the person is to meeting his or her daily hydration goal.
The ad and the press releases both state that the bottle will “nag” the user into drinking, but made no mention of what form the nagging would take.
I figured either the screen would flash, which would be the preferable but more easily ignored option or it would ring like a cell phone.
If the designers really felt ambitious, it would speak in a painstakingly polite voice resembling the computerized doors in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
“ Good afternoon, Bob,” it would say, “You have been awake for eight hours, yet you have only consumed 32 percent of your recommended daily water intake. Please consume some water now.”
This would be annoying enough for the average person who is recommended by medical science to drink eight glasses of water a day. Just think how much more annoying it would be for people who, for whatever reason, are supposed to drink more.
For instance, since I sing, I try to drink an entire gallon of water every day. While I am still getting used to doing this, I am perfectly capable of meeting my goal without electronic reminders.
I can just imagine hearing some irritating computerized voice reminding me to take a drink every couple of minutes as I tried to go about my day.
I can imagine my desire to smash the talking water bottle to smithereens would seriously impair my ability to pay attention in class or accomplish anything at work.
Don’t even get me started on the rehearsals for the numerous ensembles I perform in.
I would have every director I sing for ready to kick me out, when all I was trying to do was drink enough water to keep my voice in shape for the good of the ensemble. How ironic would that be?
This reminds me of a conversation I overheard some of my relatives having when I was quite a bit younger.
They were discussing an infomercial they saw on television that advertised a belt that would advise its wearer to stop eating when it sensed the person was full!
How humiliating would this be at a family gathering that involved consuming large amounts of food?
If the person bought the belt in the first place, chances are, that person was already self-conscious about this or her weight and wanted to do something about it.
Having a beeping belt call further attention to the person’s situation would only serve to make him or her even more self-conscious.
While there is no dispute in the scientific community about the benefits of drinking water or the dangers of eating too much, I don’t think people need technology to remind them of it. All they need is their own common sense.
Columnists' opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of The Spectrum