An April Fools’ Day joke inspired Chinese internet giant Baidu to make “smart chopsticks” designed to test the quality and safety of food, a company spokesman said on Thursday.
Baidu’s digital devices measure food temperature, acidity and “total polar materials” (TPM), an indication of deterioration in oils and fats, and display the results on a smartphone via a wireless link.
…it generated a lot of excitement both internally and externally...
“But it generated a lot of excitement both internally and externally, and our product teams realised that there were no real technology or engineering issues preventing some kind of food safety testing capabilities from being incorporated into chopsticks,” Kuo said.
The prototype chopsticks also incorporate a red light that warns users of a high TPM levels in food without the need for a wireless connection.
A charging station for the chopsticks can detect sugar, calorie and nutrient levels in fruit and “with some accuracy determine the place of origin of fruit based on its nutritional profile.” Kuo said.
