Honeywell Kitchen Computer in 1969

Source: https://www.wired.com/2012/11/kitchen-computer/

IBM’s Chef Watson @ SXSW

“In 5 years, computers will know

what you like to eat

better than you do.”---Prof. Lav Varshney in 2012

Source: IBM 5 in 5: Taste (2012)

The key research question after

IBM’s Chef Watson has been

“Personalization of taste”

Yoshiki Ishikawa, PhD

Food for well-being：

Personalization of Taste

MasaData scientist

Project Members

MatsushimaChef

VarshneyProfessor

YoshikiPrincipal investigator

ShoData visualization designer

MinamiNutrition Scientist

Personalization of taste

How might we 1) locate where we are

in the galaxy of food and

2) navigate from where we are to new

frontier?

You are here

New frontier

Two key challenges for personalization of taste

1) Locate where we are

2) Navigate the galaxy

What’s your image of lunchbox?

Source: https://thefoodinista.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/preschool-packed-lunch-week-in-review/

Peanut butter and

jelly sandwich

Fruit

Vegetable

Bacon

Asparagus

Egg / Olive oil

Dashi

Spinach

Rice

Seaweed (Nori)

Carrot

Tuna

Input Outputf(x)

AsparagusBacon

Olive oilRice

SeaweedTuna

CarrotEgg

DashiSpinach

My son

How might we create

such “galaxy of food”?

My son

Steps for creating the galaxy of food

1) Collect recipe data around the world

2) Vectorize ingredients and country

3) Visualize the vectors in 3 dimensions

Demo: Galaxy of food

You are here

To make the story simple,

let’s transform 3D into 2D.

Japanese

IndianFrench

Southern US

Italian

Mexican

Chinese

Spanish

Demo: Galaxy of food (2D)

Input Outputf(x)

99.9 %

AsparagusBacon

Olive oilRice

SeaweedTuna

CarrotEgg

DashiSpinach

This expandable system can

also identify your food style

from small data set.

Input Outputf(x)

Your recipes in a past

week/monthYour style

Two key challenges for personalization of taste

1) Locate where we are

2) Navigate the galaxy

Japanese

IndianFrench

Southern US

Your style

Italian

Mexican

Chinese

Spanish

What if our family

moves to Austin?

Source: https://thefoodinista.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/preschool-packed-lunch-week-in-review/

Japanese

？？？

Southern US

― Japan ＋ Southern US = ???

AsparagusBacon

Olive oilRice

SeaweedTuna

CarrotEgg

DashiSpinach

Originallunchbox(Japan)

AsparagusBacon

Olive oilRice

SeaweedTuna

CarrotEgg

DashiSpinach

Step 1Replaceableingredients

Step 2Alternativeingredients

Flounder fillet

Cornmeal

Chopped pecans

Japanese

Italian

Southern US

Southern US: 58%

Italian: 38%

Source: https://thefoodinista.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/preschool-packed-lunch-week-in-review/

What if a family in Austin

moves to Japan?

Japanese

？？？

Southern US

― Southern US ＋ Japan = ???

Bread

Peanut butter

Jelly

Fruit

Frozen vegetable

Originallunchbox(Austin)

Bread

Peanut butter

Jelly

Fruit

Frozen vegetable

Step 1Replaceableingredients

Step 2Alternativeingredients

Soba noodles

Sea weed

Black sesame seed

Navigate the galaxy

Original Recipe ― Country A＋ Country B = ???

Can this system help change one’s dietary style

to healthy one?

Japanese(1970s)

Southern US

Your style

Mediterranean

Japanese(2010s)

What is the next big research question

regarding personalization of taste?

100,000 meals problem

“How might we create rich 100,000

meals experience based on our

unique food preference?”

Yoshiki Ishikawa, PhD

100,000 meals problem:

Fundamental law of cooking

Fin.

ishikawa@habitech.jp

foodgalaxy.jp