Carleton University claims it is the first place in North America to implement “AI-powered food scanners” in its Teraanga Commons Dining Hall.
Created by digital nutrition tool developer Nuvilab, the technology is installed above the dining hall’s garbage, compost and dish disposals to help limit food waste.
A 2D and 3D scanner work together to determine the quantity of waste created by specific menu items, according to Carleton media relations officer Steven Reid.
All that’s required is for students to hold their plate under the scanner for a few seconds before throwing away their waste.
In a statement to the Charlatan, Reid said Carleton Dining Services partnered with Nuvilab in May 2024 with the goal of limiting food waste-related costs and improving service.
Reid said no personal data is collected from the scanners and their use is optional. However, the food waste information scanners collect will be used to make “strategic changes.”
“The goal is to use the information to both cut down on overproduction of menu items from our kitchen to limit food waste, but more importantly, to understand student preferences when it comes to our menu and make strategic changes to reflect those preferences,” Reid said.
“The more time goes on and with more data, the system will continue to learn how to be more accurate in recognizing food items and their associated volumes.”
Since the scanners’ implementation, some students scan their plates regularly, while others don’t at all.
“I used to scan my plate when the scanners were new, but over time I used it less and less and now I rarely do,” said Ashwin Shankatheertha, a first-year aerospace engineering student.
“I never scan my plate when there’s no food left on it,” said Evan Johnston, a first-year sustainable and mechanical engineering student.
Emily Couture, a first-year global and international studies student, said the scanners are “confusing.”
“I think that the scanners can’t be that effective when students don’t use them, especially when their plates are empty,” she said.
Some students said long lineups to discard their waste are a major deterrent to taking the time to scan a plate, especially if they have an upcoming class to attend.
“If there is a line up behind me, I will skip the step of scanning my plate because I don’t want to be the cause of traffic,” said Cameron Laplante, a first-year social work student.
While some students said the scanners haven’t affected their eating habits, Couture said she’s become more conscious about loading her plate with more food than she can eat.
“I’ve always tried to keep my waste to a minimum, the scanners haven’t really changed that, but they sort of remind me to try to finish what I take,” she said.
As someone with food allergies, Shankatheertha said he is more concerned about getting enough to eat as opposed to what’s left behind.
“In all honesty, [the scanner] has never influenced my food habits and I do not think that it will,” Shankatheertha said. “And since I don’t use the scanner that much anymore, I barely think about it until I put my plate away.”
Featured image by Cassandra Bellefeuille.
