by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor
Spoiled, sour milk leaves a bad taste in our consumers' mouths. Each negative product interaction they have leaves them a little less likely to return to the dairy case. But, what if we could ensure that the quality of the milk they pulled off the shelf hadn't already begun to deteriorate?
Luckily, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University are on it. These engineers created a smart, 3-D printed cap that can determine when milk, and other liquid foods, has gone bad. The outer diameter of the cap is 1.26 inches.
Utilizing a technology that embeds electrical components into 3-D printed plastics, researchers printed a milk cap that contains a resonant circuit able to detect changes in electrical signals caused by the proliferation of bacteria. Milk quality can be determined without having to open the carton; the "smart cap" is a wireless device with functional electric components.
To see if the milk is still good, a consumer simply needs to tip the container over so that the liquid comes in contact with the cap. Over time, the cap detects changes in the electrical signals in the captured milk, indicating the greater presence of bacteria. The cap's reader sends signals to the device in a similar manner to more advanced car keys. The device, which is approximately the size of a penny, operates without power.
Researchers note that this technology has the potential to curb the trend of tossing perfectly good food based solely on expiration date.
To see more on how the caps are created, click here.
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Spoiled, sour milk leaves a bad taste in our consumers' mouths. Each negative product interaction they have leaves them a little less likely to return to the dairy case. But, what if we could ensure that the quality of the milk they pulled off the shelf hadn't already begun to deteriorate? Luckily, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University are on it. These engineers created a smart, 3-D printed cap that can determine when milk, and other liquid foods, has gone bad. The outer diameter of the cap is 1.26 inches.
Utilizing a technology that embeds electrical components into 3-D printed plastics, researchers printed a milk cap that contains a resonant circuit able to detect changes in electrical signals caused by the proliferation of bacteria. Milk quality can be determined without having to open the carton; the "smart cap" is a wireless device with functional electric components.
To see if the milk is still good, a consumer simply needs to tip the container over so that the liquid comes in contact with the cap. Over time, the cap detects changes in the electrical signals in the captured milk, indicating the greater presence of bacteria. The cap's reader sends signals to the device in a similar manner to more advanced car keys. The device, which is approximately the size of a penny, operates without power.
Researchers note that this technology has the potential to curb the trend of tossing perfectly good food based solely on expiration date.
To see more on how the caps are created, click here.
