The last time you had a sip from a cup, you probably weren’t thinking ‘there’s got to be a better way’ – but this is exactly what a young B.C. entrepreneur was thinking while watching his friend struggling after jaw surgery.
Kelowna-based Damjan Madjar is the inventor of Drink E-Z™, an automatic cup designed for people who need help drinking or who are unable to make a sucking motion after dental surgery.
The design is simple: a button at the base of the cup activates a micro-pump that moves the drink up a straw and directly into the consumer’s mouth.
“Initially I think most people see the novelty, but as soon as you hit them with the words ‘dental’ and ‘medical’ it really comes into mind the placement of products like this,” says Madjan.
The cup is ideal for a wide range of people, he says, including the elderly, people recovering from jaw or dental surgery, as well as individuals living with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Bells Palsy, and Angelman Syndrome.
"Every single person wants one, not for themselves…but they know someone who needs it,” Madjar adds.
The motorized cup is made up of four interlocking parts and operated by three AAA batteries. It’s dishwasher safe, looks like a standard reusable to-go cup, and costs just $39.95.
What hasn’t been easy is getting a lot of traffic to the company’s website, and they’re aiming to sell $50,000 worth on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.
Madjar and his partners have only until Jan. 22 to meet the target - and show the world there’s a better way to take a drink.
For more information about Drink E-Z™ - or to buy a cup - visit the Kickstarter website here.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Kent Molgat
