So far the proposed products are all made from existing technologies, however, our project outline does not mention such a restriction. We are not required to create this product, but only approach it in a HCI aspect and so using futuristic technologies could aid in designing a product that benefits the end user most.
I propose a device that has scales in which the user places the food into, allowing an exact measurement to be taken. The packaging can be intact as i believe it to be negligable. This is a quick and easy way for the computer to measure how much of the food is going to be consumed in the meal - offering advice to whether you need such a big amount/small amount. Kitchen scales can be found in most homes and are very easy to use, so there is no new technology for the user to learn. However, being able to weight the food tells the computer nothing about the nutrition content of the food. This is where scanner comes into it.
The scanner will be able to detect exactly what is in the food, so it could be a home baked cake and an accurate measurement of what the cake contains can be extracted. This would then be able to calculate down to the carb/calorie what your intake should be. A bit out of the realm of science at the moment but such an invention would prove invaluable to such a device.
The information is then retrieved and processed in the digital display, whereby the user can view how much they have eaten that day and what they need to eat more/less of. The display has to be clear and easy to use, possibly with a touchscreen so no external devices are needed to navigate round it. This will save on space, but will mean that no skills needed to use a mouse/keyboard are required.
There are several other opportunities for addons that could be included. An example of such a thing, would be a handheld device which can be carried around on the person and used to scan what food is eaten throughout the day. The weight will have to be entered and not measured, however, most packages hold such information on them.
Another idea is for another scanner to be included which scans your skin and detects its current state. It is widely believed that your diet is reflected on your weight and skin condition. By being able to detect the hydration and other characteristics of your skin, the computer will be able to reajust your diet to ensure you stay healthy, or even suggest contacting a doctor if certain conditions can be detected.
This design may stretch our imaginations a tad too far, however, i think it brings several ideas to the table that we should take into consideration. Something to discuss in our next meeting.
