Smart Refrigerator
The smart refrigerator, also known as ‘internet fridge’ or ‘wifi fridge’, is part of the so called ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). Basically, it is a fridge that has a computer built into it, which can connect to the internet. The net fridge is just one of many internet appliances. Others include smartphones, personal digital assistants and more. In fact, there are now even internet microwaves!
The first smart refrigerator was the LG Digital Multimedia Side-by-Side Fridge Freezer. It came with a 15.1 inch touch screen LCD display made from a thin film transistor liquid crystal (TFT-LCD). It also had its own local area network (LAN) port. Basically, the fridge was able to track the food items stored within it and how long they had been there. It also comes with a video camera, allowing users to leave each other video memos, as well as a digital camera that allows users to take photographs and save these to an album that can be shared online or through email. Furthermore, the screen can be used to watch television, to play music files or even to listen to the radio.
A lot of people wonder whether a ‘smart’ fridge is taking things a step too far. However, the IoT is on us and there is no escaping it anymore. Additionally, the reality is that we have always known that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and this means that bringing the internet into the kitchen is the next logical step. As humans, we seem to be evolving towards a scenario in which we have more and more done for us and technology is clearly developing to accommodate that. Our smartphones, for instance, do the same jobs as four or five different devices did for us just ten or so years ago.
There are a number of really important advantages to the IoT in general and the smart refrigerator in particular. First of all, being connected allows you to instantly diagnose problems. Should there be something wrong with your fridge, you would be able to not only find out what is wrong but also how you can fix it, or who you should contact to have it fixed.
Secondly, it allows you to remotely monitor your fridge. If you are away on vacation or a business trip, for instance, you can make sure that all is working properly. Theoretically, this should mean you never have to come back to a house full of rotten food and water all over the floor.
Then, there is the fact that you can make your different appliances communicate together. This does mean, however, that you need to have multiple smart devices. If, for instance, you were to enter a recipe on your fridge, your microwave and oven could set themselves at the right time and temperature automatically and your dishwasher could even prepare itself.
A fourth reason is that it allows for truly innovative cooking. You can use your screen to connect to the internet and find recipes, and then make your fridge check whether you have the right ingredients. You can even tell whether those ingredients are fresh or at least within their sell-by date. Any ingredients you miss can automatically be uploaded to your supermarket shopping cart for you to order.
Finally, smart fridges offer excellent energy monitoring features. You can check exactly how much energy you use and you can do everything possible to lower that energy consumption. Generally speaking, smart fridges are really energy efficient because they are modern, but there are always opportunities for improvement.
http://www.lg.com/us
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