Meet our newest team members!

6SensorLabs continues to grow, as we add new members to our customer care and operations teams. We are delighted to have Stacy Boise and Janiece Marquez as our new director of customer care and operations manager, respectively. Stacy and Janiece bring a high level of expertise and passion in their respective industries, and we are so lucky to have them with us on our journey to making Nima a reality.

Please join us in welcoming Stacy and Janiece!

Stacy Boise, director of customer care

What brought you to 6SensorLabs?

I was attracted to 6SL because of its mission and product (and the people I met during the interview process). I like working for companies that are looking to do something good and make an impact. I also really like the startup culture. I don't want to be a cog in the machine - I want what I do to matter.

Prior to 6SL, I led the support organization for The Climate Corporation. They used big data to develop tools to help farmers manage and optimize their operations - thus, helping support the global food supply. My team supported two sales divisions as well as end customers.

What is your food identity?

I love food. I am always looking to try new things. I like trying new restaurants and cooking new recipes at home. I am extremely lucky in the fact that I do not have any diagnosed allergies but do have a mild intolerance to dairy, which is a shame considering my love of cheese, but it helps keeping me from going overboard. I love bacon, sweets (which I try to moderate) and a glass of wine or beer at the end of the day.

What are you hoping to achieve at 6SL?

I want to help grow a company. I am passionate about customer care and believe that, in my role here, I can design an organization that deeply cares about our customers and provides them with a stellar experience while at the same time being efficient and cost effective.

Anything else?

I like being outside, traveling, watching movies and garage sales. I spend most of my free time with my husband and my 1-year-old daughter.

Janiece Marquez, operations manager

What brought you to 6SensorLabs?

6SensorLabs offers a fast-paced environment in which I can flourish and do what I do best - operations - while at the same time providing me with the flexibility of a startup. Further, Nima is an ethically manufactured tool that is on track to help people regain power over their lives (and diets).

Previously, I was in project implementation and operations in the developing world, with my most recent endeavor in the ethical implementation of tech ideas in West Africa. I bring my dedicated brand of ethics-based leadership to our internal operations and partner relations. My dedication to promoting gender balance in the workforce, monitoring and evaluating business processes and outcomes ensure 6SL as a leading actor in ethical business operations and supply chain management.

What is your food identity?

Allergy-free, I follow my own interpretation of a not-so-strict paleo-inspired diet plus dessert. My favorite foods are vegetables, tomatoes and pizza, not necessarily in that order.

What are you hoping to achieve at 6SL?

Startups are full of life, and I, too, am full of life. I want to help an already-incredible company grow to its greatest potential, all the while increasing proficiency at my current skills and learning new skills along the way.

One Decision: Creating a Consumer Device vs. a Commercial Device

Current and potential customers often ask us why we decided to create a food sensor for consumers versus a food testing device for restaurants to use. Why not put the onus on the businesses preparing foods to ensure the foods they are marketing as gluten-free truly are? The short answer: It’s complicated.

The basis for our decision came from initial market research we did before even founding the company.

As you may know, unlike packaged foods, restaurant foods labeled as gluten-free are not regulated by the FDA. Back in 2012, we interviewed about 30 restaurant industry professionals in the Boston area to discuss their viewpoints on serving gluten-free menu items and food testing. For the most part, restaurants were not seeing gluten-free dining as a pain point. They made their best effort to accommodate special dietary needs, but some restaurant staff thought that if someone is highly sensitive or allergic to a food, they shouldn’t even be eating out. Restaurants needed to cater to the masses due to razor-thin margins - people with celiac disease and/or food allergies were not the majority of the population, so they were willing to take that hit if a small percentage don’t frequent their establishment.

Now in 2016, restaurants are understanding that ingredients and special dietary needs are becoming more important to the American diner, but restaurants have a hard time prioritizing among a host of other concerns, as shown by the National Restaurant Association.

If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you’ll know how chaotic and busy both the front and back of house can be, with multiple touch points between the customer ordering food and the dish being served to the customer. Restaurant staff don’t know where the device fits in operationally: Do they test the raw ingredients? Do they test the finished product? Even then, they won’t know what caused the cross-contamination. And gluten isn't the only intolerance they need to cater to (peanut, milk, shellfish, soy, egg and countless others), so testing all their foods for people with numerous allergies or diets would be cumbersome.

Consumers with celiac disease and/or food allergies and intolerances, on the other hand, have a visceral need to know what’s in their food. They’re the folks getting sick from unintended gluten exposure one out of every five times they dine out. They want to have the data in their hands to make better, healthier decisions about what they choose to eat. A recent survey by OpenTable found that 86 percent of diners check menus before going to a restaurant, and about 20 percent of diners wish restaurants knew about their allergies beforehand. We found that the pain point really was with the consumer. They want to feel empowered by having information about their food. In our recent findings, nearly 75 percent of gluten-free consumers would want to test their food for gluten before eating. Based on these conversations and studies, we built Nima to be a portable device that consumers could use on-the-go versus a system for restaurant owners, chefs and staff to use in the kitchen.

However, as consumer trends continue to change, do we see food testing on the restaurant side becoming more prevalent in the future? Absolutely. We believe that as more and more diners have these sensors and can obtain real-time data about the foods being served, restaurants will start to see the need for validation of menu labels.

The interest is already starting to trickle in. In our neck of the woods in San Francisco, the owner of Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen approached us to use Nima so she could validate her claims that her kitchen is 100 percent gluten-free. She sources all gluten-free ingredients and touts a gluten-free menu and kitchen as a differentiator for locals who can’t or don’t eat gluten. She now uses Nima to randomly test and verify her ingredients so her guests can dine with confidence. We suspect that more and more restaurants will want to embrace the diner with special dietary needs, even make their accommodations a unique selling point and use Nima to verify their claims.

While there are a few restaurants leading the industry in offering and testing gluten-free dishes, right now, the majority don’t see it as a priority. Once Nima gets into the hands of consumers and you start seeing them at dinner tables near you, we can only hope consumer demand for food transparency will translate to a bigger emphasis for restaurants.

Welcome to the team, Aliza Saraco-Polner!

We are delighted to introduce Aliza Saraco-Polner to the 6SensorLabs team as our new office manager! Aliza comes to us from the non-profit and catering world, so we know she will make a great addition to the team. She began her career working in Washington, D.C., in the non-profit, public health field working on issues relating to youth and HIV and STI prevention, sexual health education, human trafficking and LGBTQ cultural competency. She relocated to the Bay Area in 2014 and worked for a catering startup, connecting local food vendors with office catering. In her spare time, she is a graphic designer for an anti-human trafficking non-profit in D.C.

Please join us in welcoming Aliza!

What brought you to 6SensorLabs?

Having allergies myself, I understand first hand the anxieties that people have around navigating their allergies and food, especially in social settings. Coming from a public health background, I am excited to join the 6SL team because I believe Nima can directly benefit someone's physical health, as well as alleviate any mental concerns around food.

What is your food identity?

Technically speaking, I'm allergic to eggs, gluten and lactose intolerant, but that hasn't deterred my diet much, because I love to cook and can't stress enough how much I love to eat! (Just like Merry in Lord of the Rings, I'm always planning out "second breakfast.") I was raised in an Italian, Jewish, vegetarian household, where food was a significant aspect to family time. I slowly began eating some meats in late high school, and during my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, where I was determined to try anything and everything. Currently, living in the Bay Area has reinforced my unconditional love for all foods!

What are you hoping to achieve at 6SL?

I'm a numbers person at heart. I'm looking forward to working in a small, startup environment where I can learn the business from the ground up and implement the same resourcefulness that I developed when working in non profits.

6SensorLabs Goes to SXSW Interactive 2016

The team is back from Austin and reenergized after an informative and inspiring SXSW Interactive 2016. Not only did we speak on topics such as food tech and hardware design, but we were honored to sit among other revolutionary health companies at the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards ceremony. We even got to meet lots of gluten-free folks at Max's Wine Dive at our hosted happy hour, and tested some food along the way.

Keep scrolling for a quick recap of our week!

SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards 2016

Nima by 6SensorLabs at the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase 2016.

As finalists in the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Health Med & Biotech category, we were given the opportunity to showcase Nima at the first ever Finalist Showcase. We got to demo Nima for a packed house of tech enthusiasts!

6SensorLabs team members Carla Borsoi, Heather Sliwinski, Shireen Yates and Steve Portela attend the SXSW Interactive Innovations Awards Ceremony 2016.

Nima by 6SensorLabs tests bun-less cheeseburgers at the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Ceremony 2016.

While Desktop Genetics took home the prize in the Health Med & Biotech category, we were honored to be recognized among such innovative products that will change the lives of so many for the better. Thanks to the SXSW Innovation Awards judges for the recognition!

SXSW Interactive Sessions

Carla Borsoi, VP of marketing at 6SensorLabs, sits on a panel at SXSW Interactive 2016.

Sensors, Transparency and the Modern Restaurant

Carla Borsoi, VP of marketing at 6SensorLabs, spoke on a panel with leaders from Chefs+Tech and Shakey's about the affect consumer technology will have on the dining experience. What will happen once diners can test their food and back up reviews with data? Listen here.

Scott Sundvor, co-founder and CTO of 6SensorLabs, presents at SXSW Ignite 2016.

Ignite: Product Design - Listen to Your Inner Reptile

6SensorLabs Co-founder and CTO Scott Sundvor joined 39 other presenters for a lightning-speed, 5-minute Ignite session on how psychology and the human brain should dictate product design.

Lead Product Development Engineer Steve Portela and Lead Scientist Dr. Jingqing Zhang speak at a session at SXSW Interactive 2016.

Better Living Through Chemistry and Sensors

Our lead scientist, Dr. Jingqing Zhang, and lead product development engineer, Steve Portela, shared their experience developing a chemistry sensor for consumers. Attendees learned about how chemistry can enhance the data we can obtain from connected health products and how to go about building their own chemistry-based sensors. Listen here.

6SensorLabs Co-founder and CEO Shireen Yates presents at SXSW Interactive 2016.

Why We Need Hybrid Health, Food and Med Tech

Shireen Yates, co-founder and CEO of 6SensorLabs, explained the need for more food tech in the connected health space. Based on her personal experience with food allergies, she discussed the evolving technologies that will track everything from calories to glucose levels and allergens. Listen here.

Other Events at SXSW

Scott Sundvor, co-founder and CTO of 6SensorLabs, demos Nima for attendees of our gluten-free happy hour at Max's Wine Dive.

Nima Gluten-Free Happy Hour at Max's Wine Dive

We invited some industry and gluten-free folks over to Max's Wine Dive for a gluten-free spread, some Nima demos and great discussion on food and technology. We always love to see the crowd smile when Nima smiles! Couldn't make it? Check out some of our testing results (GF fried chicken?) in this piece from IEEE Spectrum.

Carla Borsoi, VP of marketing at 6SensorLabs, showcases Nima at a Hardware and IOT meetup at the show.

Tech and Food Meetups

The great people at BlueCart invited us to attend the Food and Agtech Meetup with FoodLogiQ, and we were also invited to show Nima at the Hardware and IOT meetup.

We so enjoyed meeting our peers in these industries, and we encourage anyone who didn't have a chance to meet us to reach out.

See you next year, Austin!

6SensorLabs Named a Finalist for 2016 SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards

Nima by 6SensorLabs, the portable gluten sensor, was selected as a finalist for the 19th annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, taking place Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. CDT at the Hilton Austin Downtown (Grand Ballroom, 6th Floor).

6SensorLabs is a finalist under the Health Med & Biotech category for new technology that best improves the quality, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care in health and medicine. Emceed by comic, actress, writer and life hacker Brooke Van Poppelen, with special guest Julian Velard, additional entertainment will be provided by Internet humorists Cracked and interactive game creators Colossi. SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards celebrate the most inspiring, creative innovations in the connected world.

Of hundreds of applications submitted, Nima was one of 65 finalist spots given across 13 categories by a panel of judges comprised of industry peers and experts. Categories include Health Med & Biotech, Innovation in Connecting People, Innovative 3-DIY, Music & Audio Innovation, New Economy, Privacy & Security, Responsive Design, SciFi No Longer, Smart Cities, Student Innovation, Visual Media Experience, VR & AR and Wearable Tech. Additional honors include Best of Show, People's Choice, Breakout Trend of the Event, Speaker of the Event, Meme of the Year and the 2016 Interactive Hall of Fame inductee.

Beyond the awards ceremony, this year marks the first time finalists will have the opportunity to exhibit and demo their work for all Interactive, Gold and Platinum badgeholders at the Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase, Monday, March 14. The Finalist Showcase offers SXSW Interactive attendees a first look at the most exciting tech developments, including achievements in digital design, health technology, privacy and security, 3D printing and augmented and virtual reality, and a chance to place their votes for the People's Choice award.

For more information about the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards and to view the complete list of 2016 finalists, visit http://sxsw.com/interactive/awards/interactive-awards.

The 23nd annual SXSW Interactive Festival returns to Austin from Friday, March 11 through Tuesday, March 15. An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2016 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today.

Join us in March 2016 for the sessions, the networking, the special events, the 18th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, SXSW Accelerator, the SXSW Gaming Expo, the SXSW Trade Show, SX Create, The Job Market, cross-industry conversations with attendees from SXSW Film and SXSW Music, and, most of all, the unforgettable inspirational experiences that only SXSW can deliver.

SXSW Interactive 2016 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy, Capital Light, Deloitte Digital, McDonald’s, Ten-X and The Austin Chronicle.

Recap: A Night with Nima at Pica Pica

Thanks to everyone in the Bay Area who came to our pop-up event at Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen on Tuesday night! We had quite a crowd of folks eager to see Nima in action.

Pica Pica arepa with Nima displaying a gluten-free happy face.

Pica Pica is a 100% gluten-free restaurant, and its ingredients are now Nima-verified. We do regular and random testing on their ingredients to ensure they meet the FDA guideline for gluten-free (less than 20 parts per million).

6SensorLabs CEO and co-founder, Shireen Yates, showing Nima to event attendees.

6SensorLabs CEO and co-founder, Shireen Yates, demoed Nima with Pica Pica's tasty gluten-free arepas and mingled with attendees. Nima told us everything was gluten-free!

Blogger Erin Smith of Gluten-Free Globetrotter and CEO Shireen Yates pose with Nima. Photo courtesy of Erin Smith (IG: glutenfreeglobetrotter)

Photo courtesy of Erin Smith (IG: glutenfreeglobetrotter)

Photo courtesy of Erin Smith (IG: glutenfreeglobetrotter)

We also released some restaurant testing data that we've done in the San Francisco area. Once we start shipping the device, this data will live in the Nima app, where you can search for restaurants, upload your own test results and see results from other users in the community. The results below give you an idea of how these reports might inform your own future dining decisions.

We hope everyone had an enlightened and enjoyable time!

Couldn't make it to Pica Pica? Read this great recap from Gale Naylor over at Celiac Safe Eats. And, please stay in touch for future opportunities to meet us and see Nima up close and personal.

Want to see a virtual demo of Nima with your local celiac or gluten-free group? Fill out this form to request a Skype/Google Hangout demo.

6SensorLabs' Weekly Wrap-up: Activities & Reads Feb 19, 2016

Nima in the News

We've been ramping up our testing of Nima, and one of our beta users in the Bay Area chatted with Oakland North about her experience using it.

CEO Shireen Yates also sat down with Fox Business and ABC 7 San Francisco to demo the device and share plans for the future.

This week, Business Insider named us one of the "top 25 hottest startups to watch in 2016." Pretty cool, considering the likes of Slack, Medium, Gusto, Postmates and more made the list.

Events

Want to see Nima up close and personal? Check out these events coming up in your neighborhood:

Oregon Section Institute of Food Technologists Food Ingredient eXpo - Monday, Feb. 22; Portland, Ore.

Food Ingredient eXpo brings local and national suppliers of food ingredients, services and equipment together with local food industry technical personnel, especially those with responsibilities in product development and quality assurance. The goal is to improve the competitiveness of the local food industry. Co-founder and CTO Scott Sundvor is giving a technical presentation at 1 p.m. - stop by and say hi after!

A Night with Nima: Get Your Gluten-Free Eat on at Pica Pica - Tuesday, Feb. 23; San Francisco, Calif.

Are you a fan of sinfully delicious gluten-free food? Want to see a demo of Nima? Come to Pica Pica in San Francisco and meet us for a free pop-up event!

Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives - Thursday, Feb. 25 - Sunday, Feb. 28; Napa Valley, Calif.

During this four-day conference, faculty members from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School and other leading institutions present on the role of diet and nutrition in overall health. Shireen and Carla will be there representing Nima.

We hope to see you at one of these events next week! Next: a round-up of other interesting news tidbits from this week.

Food and Nutrition

In Food Business News, Technavio identified three emerging trends driving the gluten-free market: health and wellness, demand from millennials and increased marketing activities.

We learned that parmesan cheese could have traces of wood pulp and cheddar, even when claiming 100 percent parm!

The Wall Street Journal dives into a controversial treatment for peanut allergies.

Some of the nutrition guidelines you live by could be inaccurate, says Thrillist.

Fast Company released their annual list of most innovative companies - here are the top food companies.

Is organic more nutritious? New studies may say yes.

Business and Tech

Many health care startups are getting caught in regulatory battles - Christina Farr says it's due to the fast pace that Silicon Valley moves.

An IoT smart city is being built in New Mexico to try out all the new connected devices coming to fruition. That's a destination we'd love to visit.

Random

• Toy animals. Doughnuts. Together, in the name of art.
• Cutie pie CJ wins the Westminster Dog Show.

My Food Identity: Input vs. Output

Dane Weitmann, mechanical design engineer, 6SensorLabs

One of my favorite t-shirts has a picture of a grizzly bear on it with the phrase "survival of the fittest". This phrase has been a motto of mine for probably 15 years. However, as I grow older, and hopefully wiser, it takes on different meanings. Fit to lead, fit to innovate, fit to run a marathon or be a parent. All of these require full body fitness, mental and physical, and depend on how you treat yourself.

As an engineer, I am used to looking at products as systems. I see our bodies in the same way. Your brain, your muscles, all your organs, work together. If the rest of your body is not healthy, why would you assume your brain is healthy? I know that I think clearer and perform my job better when I am physically feeling healthier and stronger.

I am also used to looking at a system in terms of inputs and outputs. A problem goes into your brain, you evaluate the problem and output a solution. You put work into lifting weights or going for a run, and you output stronger muscles or more endurance. Another very important input is what you consume; food, drink or anything you put into your body. I am lucky enough to be able to tolerate all types of food, and have spent enough time in Mexico and China to know what it feels like to consume something that my body does not handle well. I can't imagine having to avoid certain foods or have the potential to feel that sick, or worse, on a regular basis.

There are many products to help you monitor your health, track your calories, improve focus or help you relax when your brain needs a break. I have used, and been part of developing, many of these products. Frankly, this is why I became an engineer: to design health and fitness products that I would want to use.

Something that does not exist yet is a product that allows us to test our food for things that will impact our health. This is what makes me excited to be working on Nima. Whether it is gluten, peanut or any variety of food that impacts your health, the potential for what Nima can become is incredible.

We are developing a unique product that will allow people to be healthier, happier and be their fittest. I truly believe this is a product we will look back on in 10 years and wonder how we lived without it.

-Dane Weitmann, mechanical design engineer, 6SensorLabs

Nima by 6SensorLabs Named Edison Awards Finalist

Nima, the portable gluten sensor by 6SensorLabs, has been named a 2016 Award Finalist by the internationally renowned Edison Awards™. The distinguished awards, inspired by Thomas Edison’s persistence and inventiveness, recognize innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.

Nima is up for either a bronze, silver or gold award in the "health and wellness - wearables and sensors" category of the Edison Awards. Award winners will be announced April 21, 2016 at the Edison Awards Annual Gala, held in the historic Ballroom of the Capitale in New York City.

Edison Award nominees are judged by more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics from across the nation whose votes acknowledge the Finalists’ success in meeting the award’s stringent criteria of quality.

We are honored to be recognized alongside the other groundbreaking nominees. Wish our team luck in April!

6SensorLabs' Weekly Wrap-up: Activities & Reads Feb 5, 2016

Nima in the News

Nima has been named a finalist in the health, med and biotech category of the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards 2016! We are thrilled to be recognized alongside four other groundbreaking technologies that are creating better health outcomes. Finalists will exhibit and demo their work for all Interactive, Gold and Platinum badgeholders in the Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase on Monday, March 14. Those who attend will have the opportunity to vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award. The winner will be revealed at the Interactive Innovation Awards ceremony along with the other category winners on Tuesday, March 15.

Come see us in Austin!

ICYMI, we also announced this week that NIH has awarded us another phase 1 SBIR grant, this time for the R&D of a rapid peanut sensor. We are working hard to expand Nima's capabilities for more people who need it.

As Valentine's Day approaches (how is it February already?!) and you're wondering what to get your gluten-free main squeeze, be sure to check out Gluten Away's V-day online expo! For the entire month of February, Taylor will be showcasing lots of gluten-free treats and products that will surely meet your needs. And, if you pre-order Nima through the expo, you'll get free shipping! Happy hunting!

Gluten-Free and Food

Our mouths are watering over these gluten-free Super Bowl party recipes over at Redbook magazine. Wishing you all a safe and healthy football weekend!

The USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative announced the award of $30.1 million in grants to fund research projects that improve food safety, reduce antibiotic resistance in food and increase the resilience of plants in the face of climate change.

IBM is sequencing the DNA of food microbiomes to aid in improving food safety, nutrition and production efficiency.

The case for eating like your grandparents is outlined in Maclean's.

Upfront Ventures, one of our lead investors, is a huge supporter of food tech, and Partner Kara Nortman describes the huge opportunity in the sector in Re/code.

Random

• We can't tell if this escaped zebra drill is real or parody - funny either way.
• Find out your average degrees of separation on Facebook.
• Leave it to the Dutch to train eagles to take down drones.

6SensorLabs Awarded Second SBIR Grant from National Institutes of Health for Development of Peanut Sensor

6SensorLabs has been awarded another Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health to aid in the development of a rapid peanut detector for consumers. The phase 1 funding amount released is more than $290,000, which will help fund our research and development of a Nima sensor for peanut, which is anticipated for release in 2017.

The objective of this project is to develop and commercialize an economical, accurate, fast and portable device for peanut detection in foods, which can be readily used by consumers on a regular basis. It will provide peanut-sensitive consumers, parents of children with food sensitivities, health care providers, food manufacturers and restaurants with a means of testing foods to better verify food ingredients, thereby improving consumer health and quality of life.

The SBIR program is one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for innovative small companies in the United States. It allows U.S.-owned and operated small businesses to engage in federal research and development that has a strong potential for commercialization. A key objective of this work is "translating promising technologies to the private sector through strategic public and private partnerships, so that life-saving innovations reach consumer markets."

The NIH SBIR program funds early stage small businesses that are seeking to commercialize innovative biomedical technologies. This competitive program helps small businesses participate in federal research and development, develop life-saving technologies and create jobs.

This is the second SBIR grant from NIH given to 6SensorLabs in the past year. In 2015, NIH awarded 6SensorLabs a fast track SBIR grant for the development of its gluten sensor. While Nima for gluten is still top priority this year, we are furiously working to expand our game-changing technology to even more people who need it.

6SensorLabs' Weekly Wrap-Up: Activities & Reads Jan 29, 2016

Nima in the News

Lisa Edelstein (right), star of Bravo TV's "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," checks out Nima and noshes on certified gluten-free snacks. (Photo by Jud Burkett/Invision for Toyota Mirai Music Lodge/AP Images)

Nima hit the slopes this week in Park City, Utah, making its Sundance Film Festival debut at the Mirai Music Lodge. Alongside other hot brands like Toyota Mirai, Members Only, Popchips and more, industry VIPs and up-and-comers alike enjoyed a gluten-free spread tested and certified GF by Nima and got a sneak peek of the device in action. We were excited to get Nima in front of even more people who need it!

Gluten-free snacks tested and certified gluten-free by Nima at Mirai Music Lodge at Sundance Film Festival 2016

Producers of "Carnage Park," Eric B. Fleischman and Sean Tab (right), visit Nima by 6SensorLabs at Sundance Film Festival Mirai Music Lodge 2016. (Photo by Jud Burkett/Invision for Toyota Mirai Music Lodge/AP Images)

While in Park City, we also took advantage of the many restaurants that offered gluten-free options and menus. Shireen and Heather ordered off a gluten-free menu for dinner after a long day at the film festival - Shireen ordered a gluten-free chicken Caesar salad, while Heather opted for a more substantial gluten-free BBQ ribs dish. When the food came, Heather started testing a piece of the ribs with Nima and was skeptical that it would come back gluten-free. Meanwhile, Shireen's gluten-free Caeser salad came with croutons on it, so she sent it back and asked for a new one.

After about two minutes, the test for the ribs came back gluten-free! Heather was shocked, and honestly, very excited knowing she would enjoy her meal that much more knowing they were in fact gluten-free.

Heather gets ready to dig into her gluten-free BBQ ribs.

Once Shireen got her crouton-free salad, she tested a piece of the chicken from the salad that had some dressing on it. Unfortunately, her salad failed a second time, as the chicken came back positive for gluten. Shireen frowned back at Nima, and ended up sharing Heather's gluten-free ribs. She gently informed the waiter that the salad was not gluten-free based on our test, and he kindly did not charge us for the salad since we outright ordered (and needed) a gluten-free meal.

Nima shows a frown after testing chicken from a "gluten-free" Caesar salad.

While it was disappointing that even their gluten-free menu wasn't safe from contamination, the restaurant and staff were willing to work with us and tried to accommodate our needs however possible. Overall, we were just relieved that Shireen wouldn't be sick for the rest of the festival from a contaminated Casesar salad!

Nima Awards

In other news, Nima has been named a finalist in the Edison Awards™! Since 1987, the Edison Awards™ have recognized and honored some of the most innovative new products, services and business leaders in the world. The Edison Awards™ is an annual competition honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation. Stay tuned until April to see if we take home a trophy!

And now, for some other news items that were on our radar this week.

Food News

Amanda Peet chats with Bon Appetit about her complicated relationship with her gluten-free diet.

Aldi is upping their organic and gluten-free game (and taking on Whole Foods as a result).

Consumer food choices are changing, which includes a change in the definition of "health and wellness."

How do recalls work? How much do they cost and where does all that product go? Eater digs in.

Health Tech News

Under Armour's plans with HealthBox, to integrate more smart technology into their products.

Walgreens has halted the use of Theranos' Newark, Calif. lab after CMS deemed it unfit for patients.

Ingestible sensors are now a thing - to help ensure patients are taking their medication.