by Sixstrings » Sat 08 Nov 2014, 18:46:42
Yes.
That one from for years ago was a "concept design" from MIT:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he concept design was introduced by two graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Fluid Interfaces Group Media Lab: designer/engineer in algorithmic image process development Amit Zoran, and designer and research assistant Marcelo Coelho.
Whereas the Foodini is a production model going on sale, and any bakery or restaurant that wants one can have it for the low low price of $1,000. Or just three easy monthly payments of $333. And, it gets better, they'll throw in a Ron Popeil sausage maker and bald spot hair spray for free!
Seriously.. the difference: 4 years ago was concept and prototype, now it's on the market and actually a thousand bucks is nothing as far as commercial kitchen equipment goes.
This could be great for people that do cakes or whatever, just that one narrow use. Stick the cake in the machine and push the button and let the computer do the intricate handwork, after you've done the CAD on the computer or downloaded a design.
My only poo poo comments on it all: the more complex 3d food has that weird "look" to it, and I'm pretty darn sure there's no way 3d printed cheese tastes like real cheese. BUT.. look how many people eat kraft slices, ya know? Truth is, we already eat like crap, 3d food will be huge.
And personally, I do not want to have to be buying "cartridges" for anything. I hate that. My sister loves this coffee maker that uses those stupid single use cartridges and for the life of me I cannot understand it, it winds up costing her so much more, what is the point. $12 coffee pot at Walmart and buy some good coffee and that's all you need.
Who the heck wants to buy a bunch of cartridges for anything, that always winds up costing more.
I want to be clear, I don't like this "foodini" -- but I'm just saying it is the future and I recognize that.
I don't think 3d food printing could ever replicate what a home cook can do with raw ingredients. Just how a bread machine can't make the same bread you can, with your own two hands.
And there are so many variables with cooking and technique, it really is chemistry -- a 3d food printer with some kind of oven couldn't replicate what you can get on a grill, or gas range versus electric, etc.
It'll be *different* kind of food, just as microwave food is different. I don't like it, I don't want one, I like to cook but the reality is that I'm also lazy half the time and eat a lot of pre packaged stuff that probably tastes and looks worse than 3d print food.
Just throwing it out there, love it or hate it, it's the future we'll all wind up having one.
I predict it will be a success, in the long run, because even if I am not a sheeple I know how sheeple are -- they would love this, downloading food designs on their phone app or making their own creations, and for some bizarre reason people do like "cartridges" just as with the coffee -- I don't get it, I don't understand it, but they like it and there is a massive profit in all of that.
Also, I predict this is the emergence of more food production automation on the smaller scale in general. Replacing workers in the bakery, and restaurants, computers and robots doing more of the work on up to finished product.
And then a robot server can bring it to your table, but there's nobody at the table because nobody has a darn job anymore or any money to buy the 3d printed food with.
Sorry, that's another thread.
