Food printing, Customizing, Weary subscription, Mini S.W. #209 / May 12, 2023 (Fri) / Confidential |
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When I heard the story of a little one who was in conflict with her friend over an argument, I advised her to take a break from her friend for a while. Unexpectedly, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Snap Chat AI told me the same thing." Nowadays, middle school girls from Generation Z are asking for advice from Snapchat's My AI on worries they can't even tell their parents. I didn't feel like "Oh, this is definitely a machine" when talking with Google Home or Alexa. It felt natural, like I was exchanging messages with a friend.
After using Snapchat My AI, many American teenagers left reviews saying that the AI felt more human than they had anticipated. They are relying on AI for advice on not only social and human relationship issues that are difficult to ask friends about, but also mundane questions such as what to eat for next 24 hours or what they should be doing throughout the day. Although this may be a minority, there is a possibility that gaslighting may occur as a result of relying on AI in the future.
AI is no longer just playing the role of a counselor but is also becoming part of Americans' daily lives. An AI chatbot developed based on Google's language model, LLM, is currently being tested at Wendy's drive-thru with the goal of understanding various customers' orders and processing them faster than humans.
The voice of rapper Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in a shooting in Los Angeles, has been revived through AI and featured on the song "N.Y. State of Mind" by rapper Nas. Some people are ecstatic about this historic achievement, while others find it strange that the voice of Notorious B.I.G. seems lifeless and dry.
John Deere's herbicide sprayer with AI technology is being used on farms to accurately spray only the areas where weeds are growing, reducing work time and herbicide usage by 77%.
As we witness the rapid application of changing technologies in our ever-evolving world, it may feel very unfamiliar to us. However, we can only hope that our depiction of humans helplessly staring at each other's faces when the robots' system in the last scene of movie "Surrogate" (released in 2009) is destroyed, rendering the robot-managed human life impossible, does not overlap with our own reality. (If you haven't seen the movie with Bruce Willis, it is highly recommended.)
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🤗 May 12 2023 Newsletter Summary
01. Food printing that caters to 'me' - Beer (personal taste), Bread (accessibility/affordability), Cake (dietary restrictions)
02. Meticulous customization - Mouse, Speaker Grill
03. Concerns raised by consumers regarding subscription services for car news / Mini's 2 or 3 spoke steering wheel |
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Consumer Trend - # Beer printing
Like 23 & Me, American consumers who searched for their ancestry, race, and disease information through genetic analysis have been hoping for personalized supplements tailored to their bodies. Now they are even demanding on-demand printed beverages with the taste, aroma, and hops they desire. |
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The small glass bottle used in One Tap cartridges contains various liquids that can adjust the hops, sweetness, and aroma. It can create a variety of beer styles such as blonde, brown, IPA, and tripel, and can even make low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beer. This machine, which targets not only wealthy individual consumers but also nationwide grocery stores, restaurants, and bars with a focus on sustainability, has shown good results in initial blind tests. The plan is to commercialize it for use in public facilities such as New York's transit system or train stations. |
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Consumer Trend - # Bread Printing
Four years ago, the Breadbot from Wilkinson Baking Company, which attracted attention with the smell of freshly baked bread at CES, was developed after the establishment of a small company in Washington, and after making initial prototypes at small grocery stores in the eastern part of Washington. Since the initial model four years ago, it has been upgraded to produce four types of bread all day long, and can even bake and measure the quality of the bread on its own.
Currently, they have produced 20 robots and placed them in seven grocery stores, with plans to add three more Breadbots to Wisconsin. They offer a subscription service where customers who pay a monthly fee can purchase a freshly baked loaf of bread at a low price, and they can produce a maximum of 200 loaves of bread a day, taking 96 minutes to make one loaf.
Although grocery stores are their primary target customers, they are considering potential customers such as convenience stores and the military in the future. In particular, they expect a good response in Hawaii, where most of the bread is imported.
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Consumer Trend - # Cake Printing
The Creative Machine Lab research team at a Colombian engineering university has developed a robot that can produce cakes using up to seven different ingredients. Using lasers to create a mixture of seven blends, including biscuit paste, peanut butter, strawberry jam, Nutella, banana puree, cherries, drizzle, and sugar, the robot can make cheesecakes in just 30 minutes. The team has also demonstrated the robot's scalability, revealing that it can use liquids and powders such as chicken, beef, vegetables, and cheese to create a variety of different foods.
Although still in its early stages, printing technology is expected to have bright prospects for creating customized meals for people with allergies, dietary restrictions, young children, nutritionists, and athletes. With the emphasis on food safety in the post-COVID era, it is believed that the use of printing technology can also significantly reduce the risk of food poisoning or infectious disease transmission.
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Customization - visualizing waveform from music to produce speaker covers through 3D printing : Materialise
Roman Plaghki, a music enthusiast, came up with the idea of visualizing the specific waveform (frequency, amplitude, beat, pitch, tone, etc.) generated from a favorite song and using it to create a speaker cover through customized product development for automotive customers. While searching for an attractive and feasible way to customize speaker grills, Roman discovered the method of visualizing music and used 3D printing algorithms to output unique patterns. For customers who desire a luxurious and distinctive design based on uniqueness, Roman's speaker grills are expected to hold great significance. (build process YouTube video) |
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Customization - Custom gaming mouse made to fit the user's hand photo
Startup Formify is running a Kickstarter campaign to create custom computer mice based on user's hand photos. Using a parametric approach to analyze hand shape and size, the company creates the ultimate mouse shape to improve accuracy and performance. The option to add text to the surface is also available. |
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The 3D-printed mouse is designed to perfectly fit a gamer's hand, giving them an edge in gameplay. The greater appeal, however, lies in its ability to appeal to the desire of those who want custom-made items for themselves and the special feeling that comes with owning them.
With the rise of the gaming industry, the potential of the high-performance accessory market is huge. It's difficult to verify just how important high-performance products are in terms of competition, but gamers continue to seek out these products based on a deep "trust."
Similarly, I imagined what it would be like to have a steering wheel with my own grip or pattern inserted in the same way. Even without the pattern, a steering wheel with a comfortable grip that can be easily held by someone with small hands like me would greatly improve the driving experience. |
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Automotive News - Consumers Wary of Subscription Services
Automakers are counting on subscription services as a significant revenue source; however, a study conducted by Cox Automotive discovered that consumers are largely unaware of them and generally do not favor them. According to the study, only 21% of participants were familiar with the services, and almost 60% believed they would be too costly. Additionally, 70% of respondents said they would consider purchasing from another brand if certain features were only available through a subscription, while others expressed concerns about data security and privacy.
Nevertheless, some potential buyers liked the notion of trying out new technologies without incurring full costs. The study also revealed that the top five features for which customers are willing to pay a monthly fee include remote start, vehicle locator, heated seats, dash cams, and a digital key. Furthermore, Tesla, Jeep, Dodge, and Ford purchasers were more inclined to pay for subscription services.
- Target subscriber profile : Medium income of 41 male, Average income of 95K, has preference on Luxury and EVs
- Features with great revenue opportunity: Streaming service, virtual assistant, Driver monitoring system, Vehible usage alert, Self driving vehicle
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Automotive News - Mini’s Intriguing Steering Wheel Design
MINI plans to introduce a unique design feature on two of its forthcoming electric vehicles, which I find quite intriguing. Although all models are equipped with a two-spoke steering wheel, the company will offer an optional upgrade that incorporates a small strip of fabric to create the appearance of a three-spoke design. This modification is not only lightweight, but also has light-colored dots on the dark fabric that give the impression of being perforated, contributing to a sense of lightness for the driver. Its simplicity and effectiveness are the reasons why I appreciate it. |
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I found a creative hinge system devised by an Egyptian carpenter who constructed it through do-it-yourself. Despite its simple design using basic components, the latch system opens the entire top of the cabinet, revealing a fascinating movement and a larger aperture. It made me ponder whether the sliding hinge-style of van doors could be implemented to the car doors. |
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Kia Design Center America
Written by Jenna Chwee
Email: jchwee@hatci.com
101 Peters Canyon Rd. Irvine, CA 92606
C: 714-472-1188
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