Is This the New Way to Get a Caffeine Fix?

Shutterstock

For many of us, the thought of skipping our morning cup of caffeine sounds like a cruel and unusual form of torture. But the rancid breath and stained teeth (not to mention the unpleasant digestive effects...) in a pricey cup of coffee can also drive us a little crazy. And unless you're drinking your coffee black, you're probably adding a ton of unnecessary sugar and calories to your morning commute.

But the start-up world is here to resolve all of our caffeine reservations. Get ready to meet your new favorite accessory: Joule, currently being funded on IndieGoGo, is the world's first caffeinated bracelet. Yes, a caffeinated bracelet. It promises to deliver your daily dose of caffeine with enough efficiency to impress even the most discerning coffee addict.

Joule's technology is similar to a nicotine patch: A small replaceable patch inside the bracelet (which is available in your choice of blue, black, or pink) releases the drug into your system through your skin over the course of four hours. Each patch has 65mg of caffeine-about the same amount you'd get from a grande latte.

The upside of getting your caffeine fix through absorption rather than ingestion (other than slashing your teeth whitening bill)? You get the dose gradually. In other words, you're less likely to get the java-induced jitters that downing an espresso can cause, and you avoid that dreaded caffeine crash later in the day.

Joule will start shipping in July of this year and is available for a wallet-friendly $29, which includes a month's worth of caffeine patches. (In the meantime, try one of these 4 Healthy Caffeine Fixes-No Coffee or Soda Required.)