The Problem

I forget to drink water. Like, constantly. As a developer, I get so locked into my flow state that hours can pass without a single sip. My solution? Build a device that holds my productivity hostage until I hydrate.

How It Works

The Hydrate or Diedrate coaster uses a load cell sensor to detect the weight of your water bottle. Every 15 minutes, it checks if you've taken a drink. If the weight hasn't changed, it sends a signal to disable your mouse and keyboard.

Yes, it's chaotic. Yes, it works.

The Build Process

Building this involved:

• Calibrating the load cell for accurate weight detection
• Writing C++ firmware for the ESP32
• Creating a 3D printed enclosure that looks good on a desk
• Implementing USB HID control for the keyboard/mouse lockout

Lessons Learned

"Sometimes the best motivation is the threat of not being able to work."

The project taught me a lot about hardware interrupts, USB protocols, and the importance of staying hydrated. Now I drink water like my productivity depends on it—because it literally does.