Galaxy S11 may be kitted with a spectrometer, to the chagrin of weed dealers
According to Consumer Physics, the makers of the mini-spectrometer SCiO whose technology has already been tried in a phone, additional uses include analyzing drug content for counterfeits, as well as different body metrics when the phone works as a fitness sensor:
Samsung itself mentions in the patent that spectrometers have been miniaturized in recent years to the extent that they can now be kitted onto smartphones. Moreover, it lists various ways to use already existing light-emitting and receiving sensors on our phones to make the spectrometer a more feasible endeavor, rather than outfitting the handset with a full dedicated array.
In fact, there is already a phone with a SCiO spectrometer on board that we took for a spin way back at CES 2017, as you can see below, and the miniaturization technology has moved on since then, so Samsung could very well outfit one of its future phones with the option. A shopping spree in Whole Foods with said tiny spectrometer, confirmed the following abilities - again, way back in 2017:
Besides having data on most fruits and vegetables, the system also knows about dairy products; for those, it provides information on calories and fat content. And it knows about the cocoa content of chocolate, the amount of alcohol in drinks, and the protein, fat, and calories in raw fish, poultry, beef, and pork.
If Samsung's tiny spectrometer will end up in the Galaxy S11 and its out of this world camera, or something in the experimental A-series, remains to be seen. The best comment on the phone with a spectrometer at the time? "My oregano-buying days are over."
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