Optical Scanning for Nutritional Tracking Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods of meal preparation and delivery do not effectively track the nutritional progress of users, failing to verify that meals correlate with individual nutritional needs for accurate nutritional tracking.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for loop plating that includes an optical scanning system, a processor, and memory, which generates a scan of a plate, determines ingredient usage data using machine vision, and calculates stored ingredient levels and additions to ensure accurate nutritional tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional meal preparation and delivery methods are used, then the process is simple and quick, but nutritional tracking and verification of meal correlation with individual needs is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual nutritional tracking with an automated optical scanning system that uses image processing and machine learning algorithms to identify ingredients and calculate nutritional content, eliminating the need for manual input while achieving precise nutritional measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service nutritional tracking by automatically analyzing meal contents through optical scanning without requiring user intervention for data entry, allowing the system to autonomously verify nutritional information and provide feedback
2Productivity
If manual nutritional tracking is used, then the system remains simple, but continuous and accurate tracking of food and nutrients is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The optical scanning system enables continuous tracking by automatically capturing images of meals and continuously analyzing nutritional content without interruption, providing real-time verification of meal composition and nutritional accuracy throughout the delivery process
Solution Approach 2:
Manual tracking methods are replaced with automated optical scanning and machine learning systems that continuously monitor and verify nutritional information, significantly improving tracking efficiency and accuracy while maintaining system manageability
3Loss of substance
If meals are prepared without verification, then the process is fast, but waste is not reduced and nutritional needs are not met
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides immediate feedback by scanning meals and comparing them against nutritional requirements, identifying discrepancies in real-time that lead to corrections in meal preparation and reduce waste by ensuring only the correct ingredients are used
Solution Approach 2:
The optical scanning and verification process is performed before meal delivery to the consumer, allowing for preliminary detection and correction of nutritional mismatches, ensuring that only verified accurate meals are delivered and reducing waste from incorrect preparations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables continuous and accurate tracking of food and nutrients on a plate, reducing waste and ensuring that meals meet individual nutritional needs, thereby improving nutritional tracking and meal delivery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
generating, using an optical scanning system, a scan of a plate
Implementation Method 2
determining, using a machine vision system, an ingredient usage datum as a function of the scan
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an optical scanning system; at least a processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the memory containing instructions configuring the at least a processor to generate, using the optical scanning system, a first scan of a plate; determine, using a machine vision system, an ingredient usage datum as a function of the first scan; determine a stored ingredient level as a function of the ingredient usage datum; and determine a stored ingredient addition as a function of the stored ingredient level.