With all of us eagerly awaiting news of the latest entertainment and communications gadgets that we love—smart phones, tablets, video game consoles, laptops, and TVs—it’s easy to forget that the latest technology has also been incorporated into exciting new gadgets for the kitchen. We seldom hear about the latest refrigerator or the coolest new dishwasher.
Well, move over iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SII, because here comes the latest and greatest innovations to hit the kitchen since the toaster was invented. Let’s take a look at some really cool ideas that may be coming soon to a kitchen near you.
The SmartPot – Have you ever left a pot cooking on the stove and forgot it was there? Ted Selker, an MIT professor has, so he invented the SmartPot. He installed a radio-frequency control microchip and a thermometer in a saucepan to allow it to communicate with a similar microchip inserted in the stove’s computer. He says that the Smart Pot detects the heat from the stove and can actually control its own temperature by sending radio signals to the stove- Talking Refrigerators – Samsung already has a refrigerator that features a touch screen and access to apps such as weather and Facebook (seen here), and you can also leave voice messages for your family. But they are planning a refrigerator that can keep track of what is inside and create a shopping list for you based on what foods are getting low, so now instead of having everyone in the family give you orders to buy milk, eggs, bread and oreo cookie ice cream; you can take all your orders from one source—your talking refrigerator
- The SmartSink – Not to be outdone by a mere pot, the Smart Sink uses cameras to sense whether someone is placing hands, food or plates under the faucet, and adjusts its temperature automatically to suit hot-water dishwashing or cold-water vegetable-scrubbing. So, now you won’t burn your hands when you forget to let the water run a bit
- Cooktops Powered by Magnetic Induction – A company called Gaggenau has created a cooktop that uses
a precise transfer of heat via a magnetic field, ensuring optimum use of energy and faster cooking times. The stove detects the diameter of a pot’s base and only that precise area is heated, therefore heat is produced only where it is needed and the surface not in contact with the cookware stays cool to the touch - Reading Microwave Ovens – If you eat a lot of frozen food, then you know how great it would be to have a microwave oven that can scan the bar code of your food and set the time and temperature exactly for that type of food. Other microwaves on the drawing board include one with an Android interface that would allow you to control the microwave with simple one-touch setting for all your favorite foods
- Wireless Appliances – Wouldn’t it be great if the small appliances on your countertop were wireless? Your blender, toaster, coffee pot, and food processor would all have transmitters built-in and be powered from electrical wires snaked under the countertop. Say goodbye to those unsightly plugs and cords on the counter.
Now, if we could just do the same for our laptops and printers…Now that we have an idea of what exciting technology is coming to our kitchens in the near future, maybe we will start eagerly awaiting the latest product launches from Gaggenau and Samsung. After all, there’s one thing we love more than our smart phones and video games, and that’s delicious food.
SOURCES:
http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/08/kitchen-gadgets-luxury-tech-personal-cx_ag_0211kitchen.htmlhttp://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/10/03/high-tech-kitchens-future/http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/303627/the-kitchen-of-the-futurehttp://www.gaggenau.com/us/category/cookinghttp://sweeneypr.com/kitchen-of-the-future-talking-refrigerators-cordless-appliances-energy-saving-dishwashers/http://www.veteransunited.com/realestate/todays-hot-kitchen-trends-are-they-here-to-stay/