Innovation of the week: Temperature-controlled travel mug

You'd never know by looking at it, but the Ember travel mug is "chock-full of high-tech material," said Margaret Rhodes at Wired. The smart thermos is designed to warm or cool the beverage inside to precisely the temperature of your choosing and keep it there for up to four hours.

The average pour temperature for coffee is roughly 160 degrees Fahrenheit, yet the preferred drinking temperature is around 135. To get your coffee to the perfect drinking temp and keep it there, Ember has a proprietary material "texturally similar to candle wax" inside its walls. When the drink hits the right temperature, the mug's heating system kicks in. With "no buttons or dials in sight," the temperature is controlled by twisting the bottom of the mug or via a smartphone app. Ember ships in April and costs $129. The mug's makers say they have more temperature-adjustable dishware on the way.

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