NutriRay3D Laser And App Scans Food, Estimates The Calories

The University of Washington has unveiled the prototype of a device called the NutriRay3D, a hand-held nutrition scanner not unlike something out of classic sci-fi movies. The NutriRay3D prototype aims to take the guess work out of calorie counting, keeping track of how many calories as person is consuming simply by scanning the dish and analyzing the calories.

The prototype uses laser mapping tech in conjunction with a mobile app to count and track the calories. Any smartphone can use the app and module, with the goal being to enable people to keep track of their food intake without the hassle that currently exists. In its current state, the device can calculate the calories of more than 9000+ food items.

According to the university, the contraption has shown accuracy between 87.5 and 91-percent, which is said to be more accurate than counting calories manually. Though the module shown in the video is large, the team behind the tech aims to produce a very small laser module that plugs into a phone's charging port.

NutriRay3D is seeking crowdfunding, though the initial crowdfunding campaign was suspended today temporarily, with the university saying it needs to "address issues of intellectual property and degree of involvement of team participants." It isn't clear when the campaign will return.

SOURCE: University of Washington