Student-developed device predicts avocado ripeness
Each year, about 40 percent of all food in the U.S. goes uneaten. That means Americans throw away $165 billion worth of food that could been used to make more than 58 trillion meals, according to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC). A team of Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences students tackled this complex problem as their project in “Engineering Problem Solving and Design Project” (ES 96), which challenges students to use engineering design skills to create a solution for a real-world client. They partnered with Savormetrics, a predictive food safety startup, to develop a product that could help reduce food waste. The juniors in the course, who represent all five engineering concentrations, collaborate to design and drive the entire project. After studying the supply chain, the students chose to focus on food waste at the retail level. Grocery stores and distributors are responsible for about 13...