Closest thing to 'Star Trek' replicator makes meals in 30 seconds

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Closest thing to 'Star Trek' replicator makes meals in 30 seconds - CNET

by Eric Mack

Have you ever put one of those fancy K-Cups in a coffeemaker and wished you could just as easily choose and prepare a chocolate souffle, or even an entire meal?

Your caffeine-addled wishes could become reality with a new Israeli device called Genie that's inspired by the Replicator on "Star Trek" and turns pods of dehydrated powders into meals on demand.

In keeping with its futuristic conceit, the Genie is operated via a companion app, which means your less tech-savvy friends and family will find it even more baffling than the K-Cup machine.

But it could be worth learning for any uncompromising gourmand who demands a freshly baked dish with only natural ingredients mixed with freeze-dried fruits and vegetables and no added preservatives. Once you're up and running, all it takes is adding a little water to the Genie, just like a coffee machine, and then pressing a button and waiting less than a minute. The app can also be used to personalize your diet if you need to go gluten-, dairy- or egg-free.

Genie co-developer Doron Marco told Reuters in this video that the Replicator on-board the USS Enterprise was indeed part of the inspiration, and that the Genie could one day be even smarter:

"Eventually Genie will know your micro-biome and will prepare the pod for you, just for you," he says.

That's much easier than having to say "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot," over and over again, and probably less messy than 3D-printing a pizza.