Foodcam

Foodcam is probably the beating heart of the MIT Media Lab. It lies in a small corner of the third floor in the Media Lab, and it is only consisted by a coffeemaker, a microwave, average-looking counter, a camera, a button, and some wires attached to it. It is sure a simple technology, but its innovative thoughts behind the simplicity might contribute significant effort to ending world hunger and wasting food.

So how does the Foodcam works? By putting a box of doughnuts or half a pizza on the counter, push the button, a photo of your food is taken, and it will be sent to its live stream, social media, and an email list where hungry MIT people would see the information. It is easy to use.

Foodcam was invented in the 1990s. Inspired by hunger and a lab-wide leftovers problem, a few Media Lab employees positioned a camera over a kitchen counter and began a live stream. Soon after, they added a button that has the ability to sent a picture of the counter’s contents to everyone on a particular email list when pressed. It has evolved with the times. In the late 1990s, a robotic bell and a soundboard that yell “COME AND GET IT” were added to the Foodcam. In the early 2000s, the excess food supply hits a recession, so the Foodcam took a break until 2008. Its return also joined Twitter to the receivers of the food’s photo besides that email list. In 2015, the Foodcam even got its own channel on the Lab’s team-wide Slack account.

The power of Foodcam has developed some phenomenon in the MIT. Students around the buildings are calculating the most efficient routes to the counter. And in order to get a head start, there are certain competitive eaters who figured out how to get notified even before the button is pressed, that is whenever there’s motion on the live stream.

Foodcam has spoken for itself in the MIT that nobody would like to waste food. It is an innovation that is simple, useful, and scalable, and it should be ubiquitous.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=_KxhDP4GJSY