Ever wondered exactly how much calories you're consuming in every meal without having to scratch your head over the actual calorie count of each food on your plate?
Thank your stars because a handy food scanner that can do that job for you has arrived.
"French startup DietSensor launched at the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show a pocket-sized, Bluetooth-connected molecular sensor called SciO," Mashable reported. "It uses near-infrared spectroscopy (the analysis of how molecules interact with light) to determine the chemical makeup of food and drink."
"SCiO can analyze substances based on how their molecules interact with light," it added.
The device is said to be especially helpful for those with cardiovascular disease or diabetes, as well as other conditions that require prudence in food consumption.
The scanner, as shown by a demo, appear to be easy to use. The gadget is merely held over a piece of food and then a button is clicked once. The nutritional content of the morsel will then be revealed via the gadget's app, as well as tips, such as the normal daily requirement for a particular type of food.
The information collected could be added to your health profile so it shows on your daily intake progress chart.
The SCiO scanner has been funded by a Kickstarter campaign that was launched last year and was supported by Israeli firm Consumer Physics. It was the brainchild of Remy and Astrid Bonnasse, who got the idea for the device after it was found that their 9-year-old daughter had Type 1 diabetes. This condition required constant monitoring of carbohydrate intake per meal, as well as checking insulin levels.
"As far as accuracy goes, that will depend on the application you are using (users will also be able to make their own for specialized purposes), and the size and quality of the given database," Business Insider said of the innovation last year. "However, the more users scan, the more Consumer Physics builds up a 'matter database' which the company can use to increase its available food information for consumers."
"Users can also choose to share their own data on social media," the news outlet added.
However, it should be clarified that the scanner works only on "homogeneous" food (e.g. a biscuit or a slice of cheese) and won't be able to analyze all components of a meal, like a sandwich. You can scan each ingredient of the sandwich manually, though, and consolidate the results.
The SCiO scanner can be had for $249, plus a $10 monthly fee for the app, which can be downloaded free of charge.
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