Technology in Future Kitchens Joseph Jofish Kaye Häfele

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

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

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

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

Key Technologies Barcodes l Barcodes -> RFID tags l Home Networks – Wireless (Blue. Tooth) – Wired (Firewire) – Phonelines (Phone. NET) – Powerlines (Echelon) l Java / Jini / Hive l

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PC Dinners Computeraugmented barcode-controlled microwave l Reads existing barcodes on products l Cooking time, personality l

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusions l Trend: Digital Control l Trend: Networking in & out of home l Trend: Recombinant Architecture l Concept: Bits & Atoms Joseph ‘Jofish’ Kaye jofish@media. mit. edu