I-Corps: Consumer-based infrastructure for Kitchen Internet of Things (IoT)

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project involves a revolution in the way we cook, eat, socialize, and organize our lives. In the age of COVID-19, technologies that focus on the kitchen as the "nerve-center" of the home are more important than ever for keeping us safe, connected, and organized. The "Internet of Kitchen Things" will anticipate and streamline shopping needs and methods while enabling a tighter connection to our social networks, even in quarantine. This technology will improve safety by automating the connection of user needs to touchless interactions and improve efficiency by off-loading menial tasks, allowing humans to focus more on value-added actions and creative pursuits. The system will enable consumer conveniences, such as suggesting dinner menus based on user preferences and inventory on-hand, automatically compiling budget information, and even providing lifelong learning opportunities for cooking, exercise, etc. alone and with friends.This I-Corps project focuses on developing an ecosystem of consumer-based Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure and applications, centered on the home kitchen, for enhancing user convenience related to selection and preparation of meals, and pantry inventory management. The infrastructure involves in-house-developed containers, that include sensors for temperature, color, weight, and volume; displays for information feedback; bi-directional communication facilities such as RF, Bluetooth, RFID and barcode; and wide-area internet connectivity. The prototype app can communicate with the network of containers and provide services such as the automatic maintenance of inventories and shopping lists, reminders for food about to expire, and recommendations for menu ideas and preparation tips. The app and supporting containers are built on an open architecture that can be expanded and customized with other internet-controllable cookware to increase infrastructure and enhanced convenience for other applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.