MOEMS made from candy and its applications in food services with VR technology

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20626
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 61:Human informatics and related fields
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Oku Hiromasa 群馬大学, 情報学部, 教授 (40401244)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 孝明 群馬大学, 大学院理工学府, 教授 (10378797)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 光MEMS / 飴 / 光学素子 / 料理 / サービスVR

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have explored the optical MEMS formation method using food, especially candy, as a raw material and its application to the service VR field through device development and applied research and obtained the following results. (1) Elucidation of suitable raw materials and formation method of optical MEMS made from candy, (2) Development of formation method of micro retroreflective material made from candy, (3) Development of formation method of dihedral corner reflector array made from candy and its application for food presentation, (4) Development of formation method of light pipe made from candy and its application for food presentation, (5) Development of a method for forming agar optical fibers and elucidation of a new sensing method.

Free Research Field

動的映像制御

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

飴を素材として微細な光学素子を作成することで、料理を光や映像で演出できて、食べても安全な新しい食品を開発しました。例えば、火をつけることなくろうそくのように光る食品を作成しました。これをケーキに載せれば火を使わずにケーキ上で光る演出ができます。また、食品の上に映像を出現させられて、かつ食べられる食品も開発しました。これらは料理の新たな演出を可能にし、新しいサービスの創出に貢献します。