BabyBite Builder
BabyBite Builder
Designing a 3D Food Printer for Babies
Designing a 3D Food Printer for Babies
August – November 2024
August – November 2024
August – November 2024
August – November 2024
Timeframe
Timeframe
Timeframe
Rhino, 3D printer
Rhino, 3D printer
Rhino, 3D printer
Rhino, 3D printer
Tools
Tools
Tools
UI/UX Designer Lead
Timeframe
Art Director
Tools
Solo project
Solo project
Solo project
Role
Role
Reduce the food-related burden on parents raising babies.
Reduce the food-related burden on parents raising babies.
What
What
What
Targeted toward married, dual-income households raising babies.
Targeted toward the brand’s core customers aged 35–44.
Targeted toward married, dual-income households raising babies.
Who
Who
Who
Simplifies meal prep with sensory-rich, 3D-printed shapes that support early development.
Simplifies meal prep with sensory-rich, 3D-printed shapes that support early development.
How
How
How
Bridges the gap in the current 3D food printing market by addressing an unmet need
Bridges the gap in the current 3D food printing market by addressing an unmet need
Impact
Impact
Impact
01. Context
01. Context
Declining Global Fertility Rates
Causes of Declining Global Fertility Rates
Economic pressures are making child-rearing costly.
1
Greater education, fertility awareness, and improved access to birth control.
2
3
With dual-income households on the rise, people have less time and energy for child-rearing without external support.
Causes of Declining Global Fertility Rates
Economic pressures are making child-rearing costly.
1
Greater education, fertility awareness, and improved access to birth control.
2
3
With dual-income households on the rise, people have less time and energy for child-rearing without external support.
Effects of Declining Fertility Rates
Effects of Declining Fertility Rates
A smaller workforce will shrink the tax base, increasing pressure on healthcare and social services.
A smaller workforce will shrink the tax base, increasing pressure on healthcare and social services.
Labor shortages and reduced productivity strain economies reliant on younger populations.
Labor shortages and reduced productivity strain economies reliant on younger populations.
Shifts in social structures heighten loneliness and isolation among older generations.
A smaller workforce will shrink the tax base, increasing pressure on healthcare and social services.
Labor shortages and reduced productivity strain economies reliant on younger populations.
Shifts in social structures heighten loneliness and isolation among older generations.
A significant portion of parents’ limited time is spent preparing baby food.
parents spend hours on preparing food for babies
>1 hr
parents can identify macronutrients, showing a gap in nutritional knowledge
60 %
Daily Routine Dual - Income Parents
A significant portion of parents’ limited time is spent preparing baby food.
parents spend hours on preparing food for babies
parents spend hours on preparing food for babies
>1 hr
>1 hr
parents can identify macronutrients, showing a gap in nutritional knowledge
parents can identify macronutrients, showing a gap in nutritional knowledge
60 %
As dual-income households rise, many parents struggle to preparing nutritious meals for newborns. Increasingly, they seek convenient, reliable solutions to provide healthy, age-appropriate food without the time burden of traditional cooking.
To address this challenge, I designed BabyBite Builder—a 3D food printer that streamlines baby meal prep while creating playful, sensory-rich food designs. With customizable ingredients and pre-set templates, it supports healthy eating, reduces parental stress, and transforms mealtime into a fun, engaging experience for both babies and caregivers.
As dual-income households rise, many parents struggle to preparing nutritious meals for newborns. Increasingly, they seek convenient, reliable solutions to provide healthy, age-appropriate food without the time burden of traditional cooking.
To address this challenge, I designed BabyBite Builder—a 3D food printer that streamlines baby meal prep while creating playful, sensory-rich food designs. With customizable ingredients and pre-set templates, it supports healthy eating, reduces parental stress, and transforms mealtime into a fun, engaging experience for both babies and caregivers.
01. Context
Declining Global Fertility Rates
Causes of Declining Global Fertility Rates
Economic pressures are making child-rearing costly.
1
Greater education, fertility awareness, and improved access to birth control.
2
3
With dual-income households on the rise, people have less time and energy for child-rearing without external support.
Effects of Declining Fertility Rates
A smaller workforce will shrink the tax base, increasing pressure on healthcare and social services.
Labor shortages and reduced productivity strain economies reliant on younger populations.
Shifts in social structures heighten loneliness and isolation among older generations.
A significant portion of parents’ limited time is spent preparing baby food.
parents spend hours on preparing food for babies
>1 hr
parents can identify macronutrients, showing a gap in nutritional knowledge
60 %
Daily Routine Dual - Income Parents
As dual-income households rise, many parents struggle to preparing nutritious meals for newborns. Increasingly, they seek convenient, reliable solutions to provide healthy, age-appropriate food without the time burden of traditional cooking.
To address this challenge, I designed BabyBite Builder—a 3D food printer that streamlines baby meal prep while creating playful, sensory-rich food designs. With customizable ingredients and pre-set templates, it supports healthy eating, reduces parental stress, and transforms mealtime into a fun, engaging experience for both babies and caregivers.
02. Problem Statement
02. Problem Statement
02. Problem Statement
How might we reduce the food-related burden on parents, particularly in dual-income households, in light of the social and economic challenges caused by declining global fertility?
How might we reduce the food-related burden on parents, particularly in dual-income households, in light of the social and economic challenges caused by declining global fertility?
How might we reduce the food-related burden on parents, particularly in dual-income households, in light of the social and economic challenges caused by declining global fertility?
03. Key Findings
03. Key Findings
Baby Food Market Dominated by Purees and Pouches :(
Excess added sugar can make it harder for kids to enjoy whole vegetables.
Pureed foods do not encourage chewing, which is crucial for a child’s oral motor development.
Lack of texture variety limits sensory development like touching and tasting, essential for brain growth.
Textured Food Supports Early Development :)
Physical
Able to sit with support upright
Use whole hand to grasp objects
Sensory
Understanding sensory concepts
Gradually increases willingness to try new foods
Oral
Range of tongue movements increases
Develop: jaw stability, tongue lateralisation
03. Key Findings
Baby Food Market Dominated by Purees and Pouches :(
Excess added sugar can make it harder for kids to enjoy whole vegetables.
Pureed foods do not encourage chewing, which is crucial for a child’s oral motor development.
Lack of texture variety limits sensory development like touching and tasting, essential for brain growth.
Textured Food Supports Early Development :)
Physical
Able to sit with support upright
Use whole hand to grasp objects
Sensory
Understanding sensory concepts
Gradually increases willingness to try new foods
Oral
Range of tongue movements increases
Develop: jaw stability, tongue lateralisation
Baby Food Market Dominated by Purees and Pouches :(
Excess added sugar can make it harder for kids to enjoy whole vegetables.
Pureed foods do not encourage chewing, which is crucial for a child’s oral motor development.
Lack of texture variety limits sensory development like touching and tasting, essential for brain growth.
Textured Food Supports Early Development :)
Physical
Able to sit with support upright
Use whole hand to grasp objects
Sensory
Understanding sensory concepts
Gradually increases willingness to try new foods
Oral
Range of tongue movements increases
Develop: jaw stability, tongue lateralisation
04. Design goals
04. Design goals
04. Design goals
Efficient Meal Preparation
Efficient Meal Preparation
Dietary Variety and Nutrition
Dietary Variety and Nutrition
Enhance Baby’s Motor Skills
Enhance Baby’s Motor Skills
05. Inspiration / Technology
05. Inspiration / Technology
3D Food Printer
Benefits
Benefits
Data-driven cooking minimizes food waste
Data-driven cooking minimizes food waste
Small-scale production with shape variety
Small-scale production with shape variety
Precise ingredient portions and even nutrient distribution
Precise ingredient portions and even nutrient distribution
Areas for Improvement
Areas for Improvement
No digital baby recipes that support motor skills and sensory growth are available for download.
No digital baby recipes that support motor skills and sensory growth are available for download.
The printed structure may collapse due to material density and design.
The printed structure may collapse due to material density and design.
06. Operating Principle
06. Operating Principle
06. Operating Principle
07. Development
07. Development
07. Development
Structural Elements Research
Structural Elements Research
Sketch
Sketch
Shape
Shape
Children struggle with uncommon shapes because they rarely encounter them in early education or play.
Children struggle with uncommon shapes because they rarely encounter them in early education or play.
Color
Color
In the first six months, infants see mostly muted colors. As their vision develops, they become more attracted to bright, saturated colors.
In the first six months, infants see mostly muted colors. As their vision develops, they become more attracted to bright, saturated colors.
Sketches incorporates juicy, textured features to enhance babies' sensory and oral development, creating engaging and growth-supportive feeding experiences.
Sketches incorporates juicy, textured features to enhance babies' sensory and oral development, creating engaging and growth-supportive feeding experiences.
08. Computer Food Modeling
08. Computer Food Modeling
08. Computer Food Modeling
Color
Bright colors were chosen because babies respond best to high saturation.
Shape
The cuboid-shaped outer shell was chosen to minimize choking risk.
The structural elements are designed using combinations of learnable forms.
Size
Fit a 9-month-old’s hand for easy grasping.(~2.52" length, ~1.38" width, ~1.50" height)
Color
Bright colors were chosen because babies respond best to high saturation.
Shape
The cuboid-shaped outer shell was chosen to minimize choking risk.
The structural elements are designed using combinations of learnable forms.
Size
Fit a 9-month-old’s hand for easy grasping.(~2.52" length, ~1.38" width, ~1.50" height)
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
Model playtested by baby
09. BabyBite Builder Product Prototype
09. BabyBite Builder Product Prototype
09. BabyBite Builder Product Prototype
Multi-Pipe System for Improved Food Safety
A multi-pipe system enables users to load different food categories separately, based on type and texture, allowing for precise control over mixture speed and minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
Multi-Pipe System for Improved Food Safety
A multi-pipe system enables users to load different food categories separately, based on type and texture, allowing for precise control over mixture speed and minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
Flexible Actuator Pole Motion System
The Y-Axis Actuator Pole enables precise movement of the print head carriage, while the X-Axis Actuator Pole aligns the Food Shaping Platform and lowers each printed layer into a heating box for solidification.
Flexible Actuator Pole Motion System
The Y-Axis Actuator Pole enables precise movement of the print head carriage, while the X-Axis Actuator Pole aligns the Food Shaping Platform and lowers each printed layer into a heating box for solidification.
Enhancing Food Structural Stability
The heat box uses controlled heating to solidify each layer, providing a stable foundation, enhancing structural stability, and preventing collapse during printing. It also minimizes preparation time after the food is removed from the printer.
Enhancing Food Structural Stability
The heat box uses controlled heating to solidify each layer, providing a stable foundation, enhancing structural stability, and preventing collapse during printing. It also minimizes preparation time after the food is removed from the printer.
05. Inspiration / Technology
3D Food Printer
Benefits
Areas for Improvement
Data-driven cooking minimizes food waste
Small-scale production with shape variety
Precise ingredient portions and even nutrient distribution
No digital baby recipes that support motor skills and sensory growth are available for download.
The printed structure may collapse due to material density and design.