Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Whirlpool has developed a concept to demonstrate how connectivity could evolve in the kitchen environment in the near future.
The Whirlpool Interactive Kitchen of the Future concept features an interactive splash back and hob that connects the consumer to their favourite social networks, websites and recipes, with no additional devices or books required.
The splash back features a personalised touch screen which facilitates live chats with mum for recipe tips and offers wine recommendations for the selected meal, while the hob lists the ingredients and tells the user where to place each saucepan automatically.
The home appliance manufacturer foresees sensor technology which can measure the nutritional content in a packed lunch, and an interactive kitchen, which can monitor the arrival time of the school bus and suggest breakfast ideas based on how much time a parent has to get their children out the door.
A signal from the baby monitor notes when it’s time to warm the baby’s bottle on the induction hob, and the interactive display shows cooking alerts and reminders to ‘flip’ or ‘stir’ ingredients when required.
Smart vessels will sense their contents and automatically heat or cool to the ideal temperature, and the presence of packaged goods will auto-set a microwave.
Whirlpool said: ‘The way we lead our lives has changed profoundly over the last decade. People now need to stay in constant communication, maintaining minute-to-minute schedule flexibility and having the ability to adapt fast.’
Alessandro Finetto, senior director of global consumer design, Whirlpool EMEA, commented: “It’s important that the most powerful innovations are inspired by human behaviours and a real need.
“We began with a team of dedicated specialists who analysed a typical family routine and matched that with the latest emerging technologies to create Whirlpool brand’s vision of how a family will cook and clean in the near future.
“The Whirlpool brand creates technology with purpose, that gives the busy consumer the time and freedom to do what really matters to them. It’s important to us that new products should empower and positively impact daily living; otherwise it’s simply technology for its own sake.”
