We've seen water bottles that remind you to drink at timed intervals, but now there's a full-fledged hydration pack that does the same thing. It's called the FluidLogic GPR50, and it goes so far as to squirt the water right into your mouth.
Designed for use by motorcyclists and mountain bikers wearing full-face helmets, the GPR50 incorporates FluidLogic's existing Active Hydration technology. Already in use by the US military along with NASCAR and IndyCar drivers, the system prompts its user to drink before they start feeling thirsty, so they don't get dehydrated.
Here's how the GPR50 works …
The user starts by creating a personalized biometric profile on an accompanying app. Based on that data, along with information such as current weather conditions and the person's current activity level, the app creates a personalized hydration plan.
Based on that plan, a haptic feedback unit in one of the pack's shoulder straps will periodically vibrate, letting the user know that it's time to take a sip of water. Tapping a button on the shoulder-strap module causes a "micro-dose" of water to be pumped out of the GPR50's reservoir, through the drinking tube, and out of a helmet-mounted mouthpiece located directly in front of the user's mouth. A magnetic coupler in the tube allows the helmet to removed with that mouthpiece still in place.
It's also possible to activate the pump via a handlebar-mounted Bluetooth remote. That same pump (running in reverse) can additionally be used to refill the reservoir from another water source, without having to remove it from the pack. One charge of the GPR50's 2,500-mAh lithium-ion battery should be good for 10 reservoir-fill/dispense cycles per charge.
It should be noted that the capacity of the reservoir is just 1.4 liters (47 fluid oz) but keep in mind, the water is being dispensed in micro-doses. The whole pack is claimed to tip the scales at 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) when empty, and 5.75 lb (2.6 kg) when full of water. Smartphones, multitools and other bits n' bobs can be stashed in 1-liter external storage pocket.
Should you be interested in snagging a FluidLogic GPR50 of your own, you can order one now for a special introductory price of US$479. Shipping should commence in April.
Source: FluidLogic
