TellSpec is a three-part dietary analysis system that uses a spectrometer scanner, cloud-based algorithm, and smartphone app to analyze foods. It works by beaming a low-powered laser at foods to detect reflected light wavelengths, which identifies chemical compounds and ingredients within 3 seconds. The system can identify foods and ingredients accurately 97.7% of the time. It works using Raman spectroscopy and a surface-enhanced Raman scattering technique to detect molecules on metal surfaces with over 10 billion times signal enhancement.

1. DIETARY SPECTROMETER
SENSOR
30-01-2016

2. WHAT IS TELLSPEC?
 TellSpec is a three-part system
which includes a spectrometer
scanner, an algorithm that exists
in the cloud and an easy to
understand interface on your
smartphone.

3. HOW DOES IT DO?
 TellSpec analyzes the findings
using the algorithm and sends a
report to phone telling you have
allergens, chemicals, nutrients,
calories, and the ingredients
present in food.

4. HOW DOES IT DO?(contd…)

5. HOW DOES IT WORK?
 Light is made up of particles called photons. When
we beam the low-powered laser in the Tellspec
scanner at the food, some of the photons are
absorbed, raising the energy states of the molecules
in the food, lower energy photons are then reflected
back.
 The spectrometer inside the TellSpec scanner sorts
these photons by wavelength and counts them. The
resulting number is called spectrum, describe the
chemical compounds in the food.
 The whole process takes about three seconds.
 Device can successfully identify foods and their
ingredients approximately 97.7% of the time after
scanning the food's surface.

6. WHAT IS RAMAN SPECTROMETER?
 Powerful, low-energy spectroscopy that is really good at determining the
identity of organics.
 It uses Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique which
enhances Raman scattering by molecules adsorbed on rough metal
surfaces.
 The enhancement factor can be as much as 10 power 10.The SERS
detection module consists of a laser diode, optics, and an imAage sensor.
 The standard module is a 785 nm laser diode and a 512-pixel CMOS linear
image sensor.The SERS detection module analyzes small amounts of liquid
samples placed on a SERS substrate that enhances the Raman scattered
light from the sample.

7.  The SERS substrate has a metallic structure that is formed through nano
imprinting techniques.
 When the metallic structure is exposed to light from the module's laser
diode, the electric field at the metal surface is enhanced through surface
plasmon resonance.
 This resonance then enhances the Raman signal of molecules that are
close to or adsorbed to the metal surface.
 The module's CMOS linear image sensor then detects the Raman signal
of the sample.
WHAT IS RAMAN SPECTROMETER?(contd…)

8. REFERENCES
 Hao Yang , Min Deng , Shan Ga , Shouhui Chen, Lin Kang,
Junhong Wang, Wenwen Xin, Tao Zhang, Zherong You:
Capillary-driven surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-
based microfluidic chip for abrin detection 2012.
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tellspec-what-s-in-your-
food#/
 http://tellspec.com/en/