Brio Smart Coaster: The solution to keeping your drink safe on a night out

The gadget hopes to tackle the rise of ‘date rape drugs’

The tech-enabled coaster will alert you if your drink has been tampered with (New Potato Technologies)

A new gadget that alerts you if your drink has been touched or moved could prove invaluable to the safety of men and women on a night out.

In a bid to tackle the continual rise of so-called ‘date rape drugs’, one tech-enabled gadget is hoping to make drinkers feel a little safer while they’re out.

Enter, the Brio Smart Coaster.

A conveniently sized, tech-enabled coaster, it can be taken to restaurants, bars, or wherever the night might take you, sending you an alert if your drink has been covertly touched or moved.

So, how does it work? After syncing with an app on your smartphone, users simply need to active ‘Guard Mode’ and place their beverage of choice on the coaster.

Then, if someone tampers with your drink it will display a light sequence alarm and send a notification to your mobile.

While taking your own coaster out might raise a few eyebrows, keeping your drink safe is serious business. We’ve all done it – ordered a drink and left it on the bar to visit the bathroom or greet a friend – but, taking your eyes of your beverage for even just a minute can have sever consequences.

In fact, a survey published by the Daily Mail claimed that one in 25 people were spiked during a single night at a club, while another study published in the journal of Psychology of Violence found that one in three college students reported having their drinks spiked.

With any luck, the introduction of tech-enabled safety gadgets like the Brio Smart Coaster will put an end to this but, If you do find yourself in a situation where you think your drink has been spiked the NHS advise that you get help straightaway.

“If you start to feel strange or more drunk than you should be, get help immediately,” they say.

“First, tell someone you completely trust, such as, a close friend, relative, medical professional, or the police.

“If you aren't with anyone, call someone you trust and get to a safe place. Ask to use a phone if yours has been stolen.

“If you need urgent help, call 999. Be wary of accepting help from a stranger and don’t leave with someone you don’t know.”