SCiO: next-gen scanner

If food composition is a mystery to you or you are just curious to know what you are about to eat, then a new device, that has just been launched, comes to inform you about what the edible product, standing in front of you, contains.

The SCiO device is a USB-shaped scanner which uses spectrometry (uses light to identify materials) to read the molecular fingerprint of an object. It beams an Infra-Red light on the object then records the molecules reactions.

Following this process, a destined app displays, on your smartphone or tablet, the fat, protein and carbohydrate levels to the milligram, as well as overall quality.

The technology used for making this food scanner is not new. It has been used for tens of years in determining the quality of oil, sewage and chemicals. What is new is that SCiO is the first consumer-destined device.

‘The first application is for consumers interested to know the nutritional value of what they're eating. I often meet people who don't know what's in cheese, fruit and vegetables and have a hard time discerning what they should eat,’ said Dror Sharon, CEO of Consumer Physics.

She added that: ‘I think this can be empowering if people want to change their intake, whether for medical reasons or training, and can be educational in teaching us to make better nutritional choices.’

The scanner goes further beyond food, having the capability to analyze medicine or even the health state of house plants. Moreover, other elements from the environment such as asphalt or tracks can be scanned for their composition.

The device is out for sale starting from last week and anyone interested can purchase it for $149.