Calorie counters, measuring fat for meals

Imagine the scene where you put a food plate and press the button and wait a few minutes. Easy Cal will help you find fat, water and calories in your diet.

Matt Webster, a scientist at GE Labs, has developed a technology that can measure the amount of calories in food. This idea was born when his wife did not want to receive a bracelet as a health watch because it did not automatically monitor the amount of calories consumed. Webster worked in the field of diagnostic and biomedical research, so he decided to create a device his wife wanted to have and use.

Webster looked up the US Department of Agriculture's Nutrition Database for 6,500 foods and developed a calorie formula that would classify fat, weight and water: "I suppressed fat and added water to my diet. What is the average calorie density? " he said.

To do that, Webster and GE scientists have created sophisticated microwave sensors that can detect fat and water molecules in food. Sensors will emit microwave waves that consume less energy to make water and fat react. The form of water and fat that interfaces with microwave waves allows scientists to calculate their amounts, thereby finding the average calorie density.

The GE team is currently working with Baylor University's electrical and computer science department. They have developed a system for checking compounds from oil, water, and sugar and then putting them into a sample device. In the future, the complete device can be connected to smartphone applications or smart bracelets. "I'm creating my dream gift," Webster said .