In this episode of the Science Bites podcast, host Robbin Reijnen talks with researcher Michele Tufano about an unexpectedly rich data source: your dinner plate.

Using smart trays, cameras and microphones, the team captures how people eat in real-life settings — 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘵. AI that checks your chewing, tracking every bite, seem like a privacy nightmare, but could actually unlock groundbreaking insights into health and nutrition.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Because nutrition research too often ignores the social context of eating. By bringing AI to the dinner table, this work uncovers how real-life social settings influence our eating behavior.
Whether it’s improving care for people who struggle to eat enough — like older adults or post-surgery patients — or helping those dealing with overeating, the insights are powerful.

The episode was recorded live at the Wageningen University & Research Summer Vibes festival.

🎙️ Listen to the episode here: https://shorturl.at/pUZUb