With This Coffeemaker, a Caffeine Fix Is Yours If You Get to Know a Stranger

Most of us can't function long without our morning cup of joe. But will you talk to a stranger to get one? That's the idea behind the Coffee Connector, a souped-up brewing machine that only works when you're getting your caffeine fix with a fellow java addict.

The machine made its debut in March at the Economist Big Rethink Conference in New York City. It can be notoriously difficult to meet new people at a conference. During breaks, folks are busy checking their smartphones for work messages and news updates or catching up with folks they already know. So Singapore's Economic Development Board figured that making a machine that brews coffee only if two individuals get to know each other would be a fun solution.

As you can see in the video above, to get the device going, two users have to step on its platform and begin interacting. Both enter their names on the touch screen interface, and then the machine's prompts ask, "What are you most interested in?" and other questions. The users can then select topics such as technology, health care, or sustainability. With its exposed water tank and heating coils, the machine looks a bit like it could be in Dr. Frankenstein's lab. The cool (and weird!) factor provides another catalyst for conversation.

On the one hand, it seems a little sad that we need a contraption like this to get folks to come out of their shells and talk to each other. If you're a social butterfly, maybe it's no big deal to walk up to strangers and say hello. On the other hand, the machine facilitated 200 successful connections at the conference—and that's a good thing for the shy and most culturally unsure among us.