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PhysOrg runs a story on the implications of 3D printers for the food industry.
The use of 3D printers has the potential to revolutionize the way food is manufactured within the next 10 to 20 years, impacting everything from how military personnel get food on the battlefield to how long it takes to get a meal from the computer to your table..
The article attributes the following to "Hod Lipson, Ph.D., a professor of engineering at Columbia University and a co-author of the book Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing"
3D printing is a good fit for the food industry because it allows manufacturers to bring complexity and variety to consumers at a low cost. Traditional manufacturing is built on mass production of the same item, but with a 3D printer, it takes as much time and money to produce a complex, customized product that appeals to one person as it does to make a simple, routine product that would be appealing to a large group. ... Users could choose from a large online database of recipes, put a cartridge with the ingredients into their 3D printer at home, and it would create the dish just for that person. The user could customize it to include extra nutrients or replace one ingredient with another.
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by Translation Error on Tuesday July 14 2015, @07:50PM
(Score: 1) by stigmata on Tuesday July 14 2015, @08:25PM
Yup - I could see this going down the Keurig route and manufacturers implementing a DRM scheme to prevent "refills" or "generics". Although I could see how you may want to avoid a questionable "generic" food cartridge that could contain heavy metals or some such nonsense.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Wednesday July 15 2015, @12:38AM
I believe the difference with the Keurig machine is like Starbucks Coffee. Its not a good deal economically; rather its showmanship that one is successful. You want it in other people's face, like fancy cars and designer clothing, so someone can make do like he's better than someone else.
The whole idea is conspicuous consumption. A public display that you have so much wealth you can squander it.
Its supposed to give the illusion to other well-off people that you are a better investment than someone else who is all dirtied up with tools of his trade, and has no time to practice the finesse of talking to well-off people.
The food printers are apt to be in the kitchen, away from presentation to the customer.
I get the idea that the most cost effective solution will win out... just like those women who take the calls on the "1-976-HOT-SEXX" lines.
Good luck enforcing copyright on images... I believe the best solution the industry could do is like the agreement on social venues that cover music played on the premises.
Otherwise all we do is drive anyone who abides by copyright law out of business, while the guy who will print anything gets all the business.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday July 15 2015, @12:12PM
Yeah but most Keurig are in houses and nobody knows but the supermarket cashier.
My impression of their "thing" is you can do muddy stale water for like ten cents per cup, or go to a coffeehouse and pay ten bucks per cup, and there's not a whole lot in between, at least not convenient, at least until the Keurig came along at like 75 cents per cup.
My wife used to go to starbucks on a semi regular basis, in her opinion the coffee was better than sanka instant, but I got her a keurig and she says its almost as good as starbucks but 1/10th the cost so we net save some money. I don't drink coffee so its hard to sell her on brewing ten cups at a time using ground coffee in a machine.