Deb applied game design techniques to develop Future Fruit, a food simulation and printing system. From a Virtual BioLab players can design their own unique future fruit – deciding on it’s shape, texture, colour, protrusions, segments, taste and more – before sending it to a 3D printer modified with a custom mixing container filled with edible and nutritious materials. The custom controls are based on actual plant development processes and were designed with plant biologist experts from Plant and Food NZ. The printable agar solution was developed by materials scientists in consultation with nutrition researchers. Players can access the BioLab through desktop and touch screens or enter into the VR version where you can walk around the lab and experiment with 3D lab controls.

Future Fruit was showcased at the 2017 World Science Festival and was selected by the Queensland Premier to represent new innovations at the EKKA Future of Food Exhibition. Deb was commissioned by the Institute of Future Environments ($75,000) and recognised by the Department of Premier and Cabinet QLD (awarded $10,000).