Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機 by Yiqing Wang and Biru Cao

Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機 by Yiqing Wang and Biru Cao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 白金獎 in 社會設計 Competition Category.

白金社會· 2025

Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機

by Yiqing Wang and Biru Cao

Client: FOODres.AI

A' Design Award 白金獎 Winner in 社會 Category

1,210,243

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #163663

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機

Foodres AI Printer係一部桌面3D打印機，可以將廚餘同有機廢料轉化成實用嘅工藝品。打印機同埋佢嘅手機應用程式利用人工智能同手機鏡頭嚟識別材料，再將材料配對到可以打印嘅配方。用家只需放入廚餘，然後揀選形狀同尺寸，就可以打印出杯托、杯墊同裝飾品等物件。半透明嘅外殼令打印過程一目了然，機身只設有兩個開口同一個簡約嘅控制面板。呢個設計支持日常慳食物嘅習慣，鼓勵喺屋企創意重用資源。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 白金獎

Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機是 A' Design Award 白金獎得主，這是授予真正卓越、優雅和宏偉設計的極具聲望的認可。白金獎得主是創造的奇蹟，是智力創造力極限的見證，展現出其設計師無與倫比的專業精神和天才。這些設計被期待成為定義一個時代的美學、造福社會、並拓展藝術、科學、設計和技術界限的最負盛名的作品。Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機展現出超凡脫俗的卓越水準，以其有益而寶貴的特質毫無疑問地讓世界變得更美好。Foodres AI Printer 廚餘3D打印機是一件贏得 A' Design Award 白金獎的作品，它喚起慾望，啟發人心，令人愉悅，並迸發出巨大的喜悅。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The FoodRes AI Printer is a desktop pallet 3D printer that transforms food scraps and organic waste into creative crafts. The machine and app use AI to sort materials through the phone camera based on printable recipes. Users can simply drop in food waste and select forms and sizes to print objects such as cup holders, coasters, decor, and custom designs. The FoodRes AI Printer embodies FoodRes AI’s vision of promoting real-time food-saving. This product goes beyond recycling food waste and actively engaging communities in eco-friendly practices on a daily basis by combining recycling with design.
Dimensions & Packaging: Machine Dimension:
400 mm (Length) * 360 mm (Width) * 440/660 mm (Height)

Print Object Dimension Limits:
240 mm (Length) * 240 mm (Width) * 220 mm (Height)
Tags: Food Waste, Artificial Intelligence, 3D Print, Sustainability, Upcycling
Production Technology: Unlike typical 3D printers, the FoodRes AI Printer is designed to transform organic waste into functional products, addressing food waste with an engaging, consumer-friendly solution. It stands apart in the market as the only AI-assisted desktop printer focusing on unprocessed organic waste conversion at home. It sits at the intersection of sustainable technology, DIY crafting, and eco-conscious home products, appealing to consumers who value creativity and environmental responsibility. The product reflects FoodRes AI’s vision of boosting the food-saving process in real-time and making recycling creative and fun.
Design Challenge: In the US, every year, 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide is caused by food loss and waste. The FOODres AI Printer transforms organic scraps into creative and functional items. It provides an innovative way to address the environmental impact of upcycling. The AI-powered app provides an accessible way for users to engage in sustainable practices. Beyond recycling, this product fosters a sustainability mindset, giving users a creative and interactive way to contribute to waste reduction. It builds a community-focused culture of sustainability, allowing users to participate in eco-friendly practices actively.
Research: This research explores AI-assisted 3D printing for upcycling food scraps into functional objects, promoting sustainability and creative reuse. It aims to develop an accessible system enabling non-experts to transform organic waste into everyday items.

Key methods include material analysis, AI-based object detection, and user experience evaluations. Tools used include computer vision sorting, self-trained detection models, and digital fabrication, supported by a mobile app for real-time material assessment.

Findings show that AI-driven sorting enhances food waste printing success, and intuitive systems increase user engagement in sustainable practices. User feedback shaped a transparent interface and simplified material processing.

The FoodRes AI Printer presents a business opportunity in sustainability, home innovation, and DIY crafting. Socially, it fosters a waste-conscious community, while in design, it advances bio-based material innovation. This research bridges AI and eco-conscious fabrication, positioning FoodRes AI as a practical household solution for food waste reduction.
Inspiration: The project originated from the team’s research supported by the MIT IDEAS program. In the United States, 40-50% of household food is wasted. Before being discarded into landfills or composted, non-edible leftovers and organic waste can still be turned into useful, creative, and fun items. The FoodRes AI Printer, powered by AI, enables home users to access bio-based material printing without professional expertise. It transforms the challenge of upcycling food into an engaging, hands-on activity. Creativity and sustainability come together in the product, resulting in unique, shareable crafts.
Project Duration: The printable food waste technology was developed in 2024 in Cambridge, MA, US. The prototype was designed and fabricated in December 2024.
Operation Flow: The system integrates computer vision and a self-trained object detection model to identify food types and assess material printability. To reach a wider audience, the machine is equipped with a material processing system that assists users in creating a printable mixture. With its translucent shell and visible internal structure, users can observe the entire printing process. The design features only two openings: one for waste drop-off and another for retrieving finished 3D-printed objects. Its straightforward design and minimal control panel make it accessible to everyone.
Team Members: Yiqing Wang
Biru Cao
Image Credits: Image #1: Creator: Yiqing Wang, Biru Cao, Product Image, 2024
Image #2: Creator: Yiqing Wang, Biru Cao, Product Image, 2024
Image #3: Creator: Yiqing Wang, Biru Cao, Product Image, 2024
Image #4: Creator: Yiqing Wang, Biru Cao, Product Image, 2024
Image #5: Creator: Yiqing Wang, Biru Cao, Product Image, 2024