How many calories are in that sundae? New phone can tell you
Point this phone at anything, and it'll tell you its chemical makeup – food, medicine, liquids, even your own body.
They say the way to a person's heart is through his stomach.
But what if it was through his phone?
That's the eternally fascinating question we've derived from the new Changhong H2, billed as the world's first material-sensing smartphone, being unveiled as we speak at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Point it at any object – food, medication, your own body parts – and it'll give you a reading of its molecular structure. How many calories are in that dessert you're eating? How ripe are those strawberries you're buying? This phone knows.
It's the result of a collaboration between Sichuan Changhong Electric Co. (Changhong), a leading supplier of consumer electronics in Asia; U.S.-based Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), a global leader in designing and manufacturing semiconductor products and solutions; and Consumer Physics Inc., the Israel-based maker of SCiO material sensing technology.
Developers say the phone "will, for the first time in human history, allow consumers to scan material and immediately receive actionable insights based on its underlying chemical composition, exploring their physical surroundings as never before."
"Just as the smartphone put the power of the internet and a vast knowledge base into our pockets, this innovation will put the capability to learn about the chemical and molecular makeup of materials into the public's hands," said the MIT-educated Israeli entrepreneur Dror Sharon who co-founded Consumer Physics. "This is the next leap forward not just for mobile phones, but for all sorts of connected devices. The Changhong H2 and smartphones are only the beginning."
Using Changhong H2, consumers can analyze the properties of foods, liquids, medication, body metrics and more. From improving personal wellness and selecting the best fruits and vegetables to verifying product authenticity, the possibilities are indeed endless – after all, everything in the world is composed of molecules.
An unveiling event for the Changhong H2 was held today at 11:30 a.m. It'll be on display at CES until Sunday.
MORE FROM THE GRAPEVINE: