Award Winner SCiO Device Scans Whats Really In Your Food

Are you curious just how many carbs and calories are sitting on your dinner plate? A new gadget “SCiO” promises to reveal the nutritional value of your meal by scanning its chemical makeup. The DietSensor app was chosen as CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Software and Mobile Apps category.

French startup DietSensor launched at the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show a pocket-sized, Bluetooth-connected molecular sensor “SCiO”. It uses near-infrared spectroscopy to determine the chemical makeup of food and drink. SCiO can analyze substances based on how their molecules interact with light. The SCiO is primarily aimed at helping those with conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular diseases keep a close eye on their diet.

Founders Remy and Astrid Bonnasse came up with the concept in 2014 when their 9-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, which required her to monitor the carbohydrate intake of each meal and measure insulin. Ultimately, the couple developed a nutrition coaching app and worked with Israeli company Consumer Physics for the gadget that uses science to automate the process.

The SCiO scanner is available for $249, while the app is free to download but requires a monthly $10 fee. The DietSensor app is slated to launch by September 2016.