Digital Food Sensing and Ingredient Analysis Techniques to Facilitate Human-Food Interface Designs

Abstract

Interactive technologies that shape the traditional human-food experiences are being explored under the emerging field of Human-Food Interaction (HFI). A key challenge in developing HFI technologies is the digital sensing of food, beverages, and their ingredients, commonly known as digital food sensing. Digital food sensing involves recognizing different food and beverages and their internal attributes, such as volume and ingredients (e.g., salt and sugar content). Contemporary research on interactive food applications, such as dietary assessment, primarily employs Computer Vision (CV) techniques to identify food; however, they are ineffective when (1) identifying food’s internal attributes, (2) discriminating visually similar food and beverages, and (3) seamlessly integrating with people’s natural interactions while consuming food. Thus, this article reviews potential food and beverage sensing technologies that can facilitate novel Human-Food Interfaces, primarily focusing on non-disruptive sensing techniques to analyze food and beverages during consumption. First, we review ten different digital food sensing techniques and their applications in four categories. Then, we discuss three main aspects to consider when adopting these food-sensing techniques for human-food interface designs. Finally, we suggest the future research requirements in digital food sensing methodologies, followed by potential applications of digital food sensing in future developments of Human-Food Interfaces.