Imagine a device that not only knows which fruit you’re eating but also tells you how healthy it is. What’s more, it also warns you if you’re allergic to it. A new study has introduced just that.

Researchers have developed two automated tools – FruitPAL and FruitPAL 2.0 – designed to make fruit consumption both safer and smarter. “Fruits are rich sources of essential vitamins and nutrients that are vital for human health,” the researchers write. But they also acknowledge the risks: allergies and uninformed choices.

FruitPal uses a high-quality image dataset of 15 fruit types besides a powerful computer vision model called YOLOv8 to identify the fruit you’re eating. The device then alerts caregivers in case it suspects an allergic reaction.
“Notifications are transmitted via the cloud to mobile devices, ensuring real-time updates and immediate accessibility,” the researchers explain.

The upgraded FruitPAL 2.0 goes a step further. It not only detects what fruit you’re eating, but also estimates its nutritional value. Trained on another advanced model (YOLOv5 V6.0), it gives users “valuable dietary insights,” encouraging healthier eating.

By combining allergy alerts with real-time nutritional data, the devices “support both health maintenance and dietary awareness,” the researchers note.

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