Although we'd prefer at least a few things in our domicile remain non-intelligent, hooking our refrigerator up with a mind doesn't sound like a half bad idea. Sure, Samsung's already on the ball, but anyone interested in receiving SMS alerts about how out of date their milk is, which peanut butter not to buy, and whether Sally's favorite sherbet is all but empty isn't down with waiting another year. Thanks to Kim Otto of Denmark's Innovation Lab, along with RFID labels / readers, copper wiring, a PragmaSoft-enabled computer, and a (previously) TV-equipped fridge, the task has already been accomplished. Reportedly, the Siemens smart fridge prototype can judge all sorts of facts from foodstuffs that are tagged with RFID, and considering that it's also connected to the internet, it can be made to beam out emails or text messages to alert you of dwindling supplies or warn you of recalled produce. Best of all, the folks even took the time to video the newfangled creation, so be sure to click on through for the not-even-for-sale fridge of your dreams.
1. So many systems that we have today could be improved by a complete redesign. Take the telephone system - if it were reimplemented today, I'd expect digital signatures to make sure I don't get prank hospital calls, caller ID as standard, and a bunch of other features. Taking a system from analog (as buying and stocking food is today) to digital (RFID food barcodes, etc) needs a lot of future-proofing and standards design. Given how bad the IEEE are at standards, I'd give it a while before these things make it in to homes (802.11n ring a bell? no? I'll call again in 3 years...).
2. Cool hack, but as a student, I can tell you that those expiry dates mean nothing.
cool hack, it'll be great if it also txt you what you could prepare for dinner based on what's in it and what should be used soon... ...so like we let a machine rule our lives, even what we eat... bring it on :)
Watching that and reading over it, I've two things which bother me: when does it know that it needs more? When it doesn't get put back into the fridge? Or do you have to remove it from a list? There are some design work which should be done on the inventory management system to make it both user friendly and accurate so that you don't have an over-abundance of product. The second is this: how many items are equipped with RFID tags and how long would it take so that most everything is tagged? Because there would be quite a few items which would not be tagged because of the impracticality (produce, eggs) or the cost to tag each item (cans of soda). So if not all the items are tagged, then why tag any at all?
Well it might be able to tell you if the milk in your fridge is still good without you having to smell it, but I don't think it'd help with that pesky roommate who puts the empty carton back into the fridge.
it's easy! the fridge shelves have scales built into them, so as you remove items the fridge can know how much that item weighed, and as you put them back it can work out how much is gone missing... it might then send you another txt message if one of your room mates uses more than their agreed ratio, it might then ask you if you would like to have that room mate exterminated
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karl @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:40PM
1. So many systems that we have today could be improved by a complete redesign. Take the telephone system - if it were reimplemented today, I'd expect digital signatures to make sure I don't get prank hospital calls, caller ID as standard, and a bunch of other features. Taking a system from analog (as buying and stocking food is today) to digital (RFID food barcodes, etc) needs a lot of future-proofing and standards design. Given how bad the IEEE are at standards, I'd give it a while before these things make it in to homes (802.11n ring a bell? no? I'll call again in 3 years...).
2. Cool hack, but as a student, I can tell you that those expiry dates mean nothing.
ryan @ Apr 23rd 2007 11:02PM
cool hack, it'll be great if it also txt you what you could prepare for dinner based on what's in it and what should be used soon...
...so like we let a machine rule our lives, even what we eat...
bring it on :)
Arthur C. Clark @ Apr 23rd 2007 11:35PM
@Ryan
One step closer to bringing HAL-9000 to reality. I Welcome our new RFID-enabled cold-hearted ;) overlords.
Phoenix @ Apr 24th 2007 4:52AM
Watching that and reading over it, I've two things which bother me: when does it know that it needs more? When it doesn't get put back into the fridge? Or do you have to remove it from a list? There are some design work which should be done on the inventory management system to make it both user friendly and accurate so that you don't have an over-abundance of product. The second is this: how many items are equipped with RFID tags and how long would it take so that most everything is tagged? Because there would be quite a few items which would not be tagged because of the impracticality (produce, eggs) or the cost to tag each item (cans of soda). So if not all the items are tagged, then why tag any at all?
Omar S @ Apr 24th 2007 10:01AM
hmmm, sso if i put a shiny new RFID Enabled passport in my fridge would it tell me who's it is?
1337sauce @ Apr 24th 2007 11:08AM
WTF hacking refrigerators? What's next??
thesawzall @ Apr 24th 2007 11:13AM
Well it might be able to tell you if the milk in your fridge is still good without you having to smell it, but I don't think it'd help with that pesky roommate who puts the empty carton back into the fridge.
ryan @ Apr 25th 2007 7:49PM
it's easy! the fridge shelves have scales built into them, so as you remove items the fridge can know how much that item weighed, and as you put them back it can work out how much is gone missing... it might then send you another txt message if one of your room mates uses more than their agreed ratio, it might then ask you if you would like to have that room mate exterminated
www.rfidglobal.org @ Jul 4th 2007 12:11AM
sounds practical to those big families.
http://www.rfidglobal.org