A new portable sensor called Nima can help food allergy sufferers find traces of gluten in their food in two minutes.
The device requires users to, “place a sample of the food into a disposable, one-time use capsule and close it with a cap,” writes Entrepreneur.
Next, users would place the capsule into the sensor and turn it on to start the scanning process. A blue sad face indicates the food does contain gluten while a happy blue face will appear if the sample of food is gluten-free.
Nima is the first product from the two year old company, 6SensorLabs. The company is working on a variety of inventions to help diners gain a better understanding of what’s in their food.
Company founders Shireen Yates and Scott Sundvor, two graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), conceived the idea for Nima after their own dealings with food allergies.
Yates told Entrepreneur Nima’s advantage is that it takes two minutes for the device to find the gluten protein versus existing tests which take 15 to 20 minutes to give diners a definitive answer regarding the presence of gluten.
The company hopes to tackle tests for finding traces of peanuts and dairy, but is currently refining the experience for Nima.
The team at 6SensorLabs is working on app to be released with the device, according to Entrepreneur.
The program would allow users to check current information regarding whether a restaurant is allergy-friendly.
Customers can purchase a Nima starter kit and refill pack from 6SensorLabs’ website.
