Smalt smart salt dispenser doubles as a Bluetooth speaker

A new Internet of Things device has surfaced on crowdfunding website Indiegogo, and it's one of the odder gadgets we've seen. Called Smalt, this smart salt dispenser doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, making it easy to add some tunes (and salt) to your romantic dinner. The unit could also double as a centerpiece of sorts, but its massive price tag means many people will probably just stick to shaking salt onto their food the traditional way.

It's perhaps better to think of Smalt as a Bluetooth speaker that happens to also contains salt and a dispensing mechanism. The device contains a small removable drawer on the bottom in which salt is dispensed based on the quantities specified by the mobile app. Users can use their smart phone to tell smalt to dispense salt in either dash, pour or pinch quantities.

As the video above demonstrates, the team behind Smalt envisions their device as being something like a kitchen aid, something that may sit on the counter next to the stove to dispense salt whenever you need it. The device features integration was Amazon Alexa, allowing Echo owners to ask Alexa to have Smalt dispense certain quantities of salt — one teaspoon, for example.

While that sounds decent enough, the device is arguably most beneficial as a convenient way to monitor your sodium intake, assuming you cook all your food from scratch and only eat at home. The companion mobile app will track your salt consumption based on how much you have Smalt dispense. Music selection and streaming is also performed using a smartphone paired with the speaker.

Finally, the device sports an ambient light for setting the mood. Smalt is listed on Indiegogo right now, where it is being offered for $99 as a super early bird special. The planned retail price will be $199 USD, assuming the product makes it to market. Shipping to backers is estimated to start in March 2018.

SOURCE: Indiegogo