Explorative Visualization of Food Data to Raise Awareness of Nutritional Value

Abstract

The following research proposes a web based, interactive data visualization of a large food dataset, with an aim to raise awareness of their nutritional value. The system consists of an automatic dimensionality reduction scheme, based on t-SNE algorithm, and an exploratory user interface based on dynamic views of the data. Our approach allows users to effectively compare and relate visual representations of nutritional value in both micro and macro levels. The communicativeness of the application was evaluated regarding user experience and the storytelling functionality. Results show that the participants experienced a shift in perception from one mainly focused on taste to one aware of nutritional aspects. Additionally, the results suggest that a narrative experience can be generated, along with an effective long-term engagement.