New Machine Can Turn Any Image into Latte Foam Art

Part of what makes your local coffee shop so awesome is the personal touch.  Maybe your favorite barista even draws something special in your lattes.  But your barista’s personal touch was never this good.

Unveiled yesterday, the Ripple Maker combines 3D and inkjet printing mechanics to be able to print any image into the foam of your latte.  Of course, this latte maker comes with an app allowing baristas to pick all sorts of images from a preloaded library, but probably the real killer feature is that customers can also use their own photos. That’s about as personal as a latte created by a computer can be.

Getting your hands on such wonderful technology isn’t cheap.  According to the Daily Dot, “The Ripple Maker is mostly targeting coffee shops and other small businesses. The $999 price point and $75 monthly subscription will deter almost anyone else.”  But as the Dot points out, businesses could easily turn the Ripple Maker into a money maker in a couple different ways.  Obviously, they could charge a premium to customers who choose their own images.  But coffee houses could also sell this foam space to advertisers, turning your morning latte into a caffeinated billboard.

Ripples just released a video showing off the product today.  Now the big question becomes who will be the first person to take a latte selfie?

Related: How to Make Your Own Latte Art at Home 
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