No kitchen is complete without a refrigerator, range, and dishwasher. But what about a recipe finder? A digital calendar? A home control station? According to the "Digital Kitchen Study" conducted by the CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council, these are some of the high-tech features consumers desire.
The study was based on a survey of 602 homeowners between the ages of 25 and 64 who have broadband Internet access and household incomes of more than $35,000 per year. Of the 22 concepts presented in the survey, the study found that some of the most desired kitchen innovations are a digital calendar that allows users to add appointments and notes for everyone in the household to see, a recipe projection system that would let users look up a recipe online, a universal charging station, and an energy usage and monitoring control system.
The organization used the results of that study to create a prototype of the "Ideal Digital Kitchen" at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in May. The kitchen concept boasted high-tech features designed to aid, not intimidate, homeowners. "This isn't the Jetsons' kitchen we're talking about. This is a kitchen that basically meets the needs of people today," says Tim Woods, vice president of the CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council. "The kitchen has always been the hub of the home. Technology enables that to happen at a greater level."
Many of the innovations shown in the prototype kitchen are available now or will be soon, including Whirlpool's centralpark Connection refrigerator, which features a port to connect electronic devices such as a digital picture frame, a DVD player, or a satellite radio. By using a detachable system, the setup addresses the lag time between technology and appliances.
"What centralpark is about is giving consumers the flexibility of putting a device on the refrigerator, and in the future change it out without having to replace the refrigerator," says Carol Priefert, senior manager at Whirlpool.
Other products in the display included HP's Touchsmart IQ77 PC, which provides access to schedules, TV, music, movies, photos, and information via a touchscreen; HP's MediaSmart High-Definition LCD TV; home control touchpads from Exceptional Innovation; the Smart Home family charging station; and a prototype of an Internet-enabled washer and dryer from Whirlpool. In addition to the technologies featured in the Ideal Digital Kitchen, a number of other forward-thinking appliances are available or are emerging from other manufacturers.
LG, for example, now offers a side-by-side refrigerator that features a 15-inch high-definition screen on one door and an LCD screen displaying local weather on the other. The refrigerator includes 100 pre-loaded recipes, a digital photo album where users can upload photos from a USB port, a calendar, and a date and time display.
Siemens' 600-cfm avanteGarde multiMedia Hood puts dead space to use with a 17-inch LCD screen. The remote-controlled device also plays CDs and DVDs and has a PC input.
While manufacturers believe homeowners are ready for these types of technologies to enter the kitchen, it remains to be seen whether consumers will start requesting them. "It's kind of the whole marketing of them," says Woods. "How are [manufacturers] going to communicate these messages to the consumer?"Manufacturers see these new appliances as the first step toward a more connected home. "Those appliances in the future may tie into a connected home of the future," Priefert says.
Consumers also embrace these ideas, according to the Digital Kitchen survey. Respondents identified a home control station where they can monitor HVAC and security controls as one of their most desired innovations.
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| Whirlpool. Homeowners canplug an mp3 player, a digital photo album, or a DVD/CD player into the refrigerator with the centralpark Connection. The unit features a dock for interchanging a variety of devices, including a Web tablet or an interactive message board. Easily installed and removable, the flexibility of the hub allows homeowners to update electronic devices, the maker says. 800-253-3977. www.insideadvantage.com. | LG. With the HDTV Refrigerator, homeowners can not only can grab something to eat, they also can get the weather forecast and watch the news or their favorite TV show. A 4-inch LCD screen displays the weather and an info center that delivers personalized weather forecasts based on the user's geographic area. Additional features include a recipe bank with 100 pre-loaded recipes and a digital photo album. 800-243-0000. www.lgusa.com. |
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| CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council. The Internet Home Alliance's Ideal Digital Kitchen, displayed at this year's Kitchen/Bath Industry Show, features products and prototypes based on the results of a survey that determined the consumer electronics and appliances Americans use now and would like to have in the future. The products in the concept kitchen included Whirlpool's Centralpark connection refrigerator/entertainment center, a Whirlpool Internet-enabled prototype washer and dryer, an HP Touchsmart IQ77 PC, an HP MediaSmart HD LCD TV, Exceptional Innovation home control touch pads, and a Smart Home Desktop Family Charging Station. www.caba.org/iha. | Siemens. Clear the air and enjoy a cooking show, a movie, or your favorite CD with the avanteGarde multiMedia Hood. The 36-inch chimney-style stainless steel ventilation hood features a high-resolution 17-inch LCD screen and comes with a remote control. With a rating of 54 db, noise from the 600 cfm fan won't disturb the sound quality of the TV/DVD/CD player, the maker says. 888-474-3636. www.siemens-home.com. |