Technology is helping us to monitor all sorts of things in our lives. Now eating habits are fair game. HAPIfork distributed by HAPILABS is a Bluetooth-enabled smart fork that helps modify eating behavior, making people aware of eating at the right time and speed, leading to an overall healthier well-being. The first of its kind self-tracking device with bundled software is currently available through Brookstone.
The high-tech eating utensil measures the number of times the fork is placed in a persons mouth per minute, the intervals between fork servings and how long it takes to finish a meal. When eating too fast, HAPIfork gently vibrates and flashes indicator lights to encourage slowing down. The data collected during a meal can then be uploaded to a smartphone or other device to track progress.
Eating too fast can lead to weight gain – HAPIfork aims to help people eat more slowly, adopt good eating habits, manage weight and feel great. HAPIfork features the HAPI wellness dashboard, a cross-device platform that monitors daily activities (physical fitness, meals, relaxation, sleep) making the experience of changing undesirable habits actionable and fun.
“We’ve created a robust 15-day coaching program that includes a daily meal plan, helpful nutrition and fitness tips and motivational social games to help people who want start a healthy regimen but aren’t sure where to start,” says Fabrice Boutain, HAPILABS founder and CEO.
Designed by Slow Control, the company founded by French inventor Jacques Lépine, HAPIfork was created out of research showing by eating slower, people can improve the way they feel, improve digestion and lose weight.
A series of scientific studies have highlighted the negative effects related to eating meals too quickly, including weight gain – feeling full is felt after about 20 minutes. So, the faster you eat, the more you end up eating. “We believe more than 50% of our health comes from what we eat and how we eat,” notes Boutain.