Edible Lens Array: Dishes with lens-shaped jellies that change their appearance depending on the viewpoint

Abstract

This study presents food products whose appearance, such as color and image, changes depending on the viewpoint. This was achieved by fabricating jelly with structures of convex lenses, which is arranged in a two-dimensional plane using 3D-printed molds. This enables interactive gastronomic experiences with the presentation from multiple viewpoints. In this study, we developed a system that supports the design and fabrication workflow for edible lens arrays. Using our system, users can design arbitrary lens array shapes and simulate their appearance based on the refractive index of the jelly material. The system then outputs a 3D mold model for casting the jelly lenses. In addition, we created several dishes that exhibit viewpoint-dependent changes in appearance, demonstrating their potential for creating interactive gastronomic experiences.