The maker, Alex from Hobby Built, created a really interesting smart bottle that goes far beyond just holding water. This bottle can play your favorite songs, charge your phone wirelessly, display customizable LED lighting, and even indicate the water level inside in real time. What makes it even more impressive is how thoughtfully the entire structure is designed. The outer body is built using SLM aluminium, which is actually metal that’s 3D printed layer by layer using a high-powered laser. Because of this, the body is strong, precise, and at the same time lightweight, so it doesn’t feel heavy while handling. Inside, there’s a curved 3D-printed support structure placed between the aluminium casing and the bottle, which helps protect the bottle from damage and keeps everything firmly in place.
Now, coming to one of the most practical features the attachment and detachment mechanism. The entire smart module can be easily attached or removed using a combination of screws and strong neodymium magnets. A coupling mechanism is fixed at the top of the bottle, and whenever needed, the smart module can be connected from the bottom and locked in place with a simple twist, making the bottle instantly “smart.”
At the core of the system is an ESP32 microcontroller, which acts as the brain controlling all the functionalities. For audio, a wireless connection is used, allowing songs to be played through a connected speaker system. It also supports wireless charging, so you can charge your phone anytime without needing cables. The system uses a touchscreen display as the main interface, where you can check the water level inside the bottle using an FSR sensor that detects changes in force or weight. The display also shows real-time clock information, and even when the main system is powered off, a small backup cell battery ensures that the time remains accurate. Through the touchscreen, you can directly control features like music playback with just a tap.
