Put a Lid on Excessive Snacking

Sometimes we can lose track of our snacking throughout the day and not appreciate how many unnecessary, empty calories that this activity can add to our diets. A number of devices have been developed (including one that we recently reported on) to help raise our awareness of a potential problem with our habits. Many people do not like the idea of a wearable device tattling on them every time they have a bite to eat, however, considering the many serious health issues that can arise as a result of overeating, there would seem to be a place for such devices, at least in some segments of the population.

A small group at the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence has recently developed a device prototype intended to be unobtrusive and socially acceptable. The device, called Snacap, is built into a hat, and it was also noted that other headwear such as sweatbands and visors could be adapted to accommodate the necessary hardware.

Snacap differs from other devices in that it makes use of mechanomyography — the vibrations produced by skeletal muscles during contraction — to detect jaw movement. Mechanomyography removes the requirement for direct skin contact that would be needed with electromyography, which is used by similar devices.

The device contains a pair of pressure sensors sewn into the sides of the hat to capture measurements from movements of the temporalis muscles. The sensors are hooked up to a Adafruit HUZZAH32 development board to handle the collection of data.

Data extracted from the device was evaluated using the MATLAB Classification Learner to choose an optimal classifier model, which led to the selection of a Support Vector Machine approach. In a small study of ten participants, greater than 80% accuracy in detecting chewing episodes was achieved.

The team plans to further improve the device in the future by making use of more flattened form factor electronics that can be fully embedded within the tongue of the hat.