Technology in Future Kitchens Joseph 'Jofish' Kaye Häfele 23 September, 1999 San Francisco, CA

Technology in Future Kitchens 1. Intro to a wired world 2. Technologies affecting the kitchen 3. Example: How will appliances change? 4. Research projects 5. Conclusions

Counter Intelligence MIT Media Lab Bits, People & Things Sponsors (Lab, CI) –Merloni, Kraft, Unilever, M&S, Stop ‘n’ Shop... Research areas 3,5,10-15 yrs

My research background Counter Intelligence Project Mr. Java –Smart coffee machine PC Dinners –Barcode-controlled microwave Non-kitchen: wearables, inhaler… Brain and Cognitive Science

A Things That Think Primer Intelligent devices: First Stage: no I/O Second stage: self awareness Third Stage: communication

Key Concepts Bits & Atoms Cloud of Bits Within a context, recognise and associate preferences

Key Technologies Barcodes Barcodes -> RFID tags Home Networks –Wireless (BlueTooth) –Wired (Firewire) –Phonelines (PhoneNET) –Powerlines (Echelon) Java / Jini / Hive

Focus: Intra-House Powerline Technology Advantages –No extra wiring required so… –Cheap –Transparent to end user –Doesn’t inconvenience end user Disadvantages –Not cheap enough (~$30?)… yet –Low bandwidth Example: Ariston Digital (Europe)

Key Connection: Home to World USA: Cable modems –Cable TV - 70% market –DSL? Europe: ? –PTTs, modems & phone calls –ISDN –Little cable saturation –Satellite + ? –Powerline NB: NOR-WEB Europe-based powerline internet transmission project scrapped early September.

Appliances Trend: change to digital control Networking –Power, diagnostics, upgrade... Trend: Recombinant Architecture –William Mitchell - MIT –Jane Langmuir - RISD –(Larry Lafata ‘multiple work centers’, Mary Jo Peterson ‘auxilary kitchens’) Kitchen-wide trend: colour

Cooling & Storage Inventory control… (RFID first?) –Keeping track of current contents –Keeping track of desired contents …which makes possible –Automatic shopping list, online ordering Recipes: suggest, teach, learn Barcode fridges: unlikely Fridge/kitchen as message center...

Cooking & Heating Temperature tagged cookware? Wildcard: high-conduction heatpipes –but: think of counter as active surface Think: interaction between pot & stove Recipes Think: what is the kitchen doing?

Washing & Cleaning Ecology: detergent & water –Ariston Dialogic –Maytag Neptune, Atlantis RISD’s recombinant architecture –dishwasher... How can a surface help clean itself? –Seamless surfaces –Water runs downhill

Research Projects PC Dinners Mr. Java Counter Intelligence Up-to-the-minute

PC Dinners Computer- augmented barcode-controlled microwave Reads existing barcodes on products Cooking time, personality

Mr. Java Computer- augmented smart coffee machine RFID tags on cups Gives bits & atoms –double tall latte –latest London news

Counter Intelligence An intelligent kitchen countertop Ingredients: RFID Weight sensors Touchscreen + voice output

Counter Intelligence: Current Research Fridge –Most energy-consuming appliance (MJP: 11% total of home) –Track usage and then intelligently... –“Store up cold” Stovetop –User interface problem: looks cold –Temperature sensing pots Hydroponics

Counter Intelligence: Current Research Kitchen as System –Low level: sensors, actuators –Mid level: appliances –High level: “The kitchen is cooking” Scenario: Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen Traditionally difficult combination Safety issues Education, Fun –Cooking –Food Interested: Hasbro, Kraft, Merloni, M&S, Sears, Mars/M&M… Easy-Bake Oven: 1M/yr (still!)

Key Trends & Important Points Continued ecological trend (Blue?) Networked appliances: killer app? –Remote diagnostics & upgrade? Or not? Graying of the population Return to downtown The Electric Motor Story (Donald Norman, The Invisible Computer) Kitchen awareness on rise

Conclusions Trend: Digital Control Trend: Networking in & out of home Trend: Recombinant Architecture Concept: Bits & Atoms Joseph ‘Jofish’ Kaye