Future kitchen: 10 cool things
Posted on January 30, 2016 by bob in April 2010
When the next generation of home cooks go to their kitchens, they’ll be entering a world of interconnected smart appliances, 3-D printers, and touchscreen controls that will simplify food 
preparation, create customized meal solutions, and produce far less waste. Here is a list of some of the cool features the kitchen of the future will offer.
1. Appliances will be wired to actively monitor their contents and reorder when it senses supplies are running low. Products that are near their expiration dates will be moved closer to the front.
2. Each family member will be able to print the dinner they want using a countertop 3-D printer that takes into account likes and dislikes, food allergies and nutritional needs.
3. Induction cooktops using magnetic energy and compatible pans will heat up only the pan placed on it – allowing the rest of the surface to be safely used for other tasks.
4. At the touch of a button, counters, sinks and cooking surfaces will move up or down, appealing to people of different heights who share a kitchen as well as those with disabilities. Stoves may be moved up so children don’t hurt themselves, while the sink may be lowered so children can easily wash their hands.
5. Integration facial recognition technology will allow the kitchen to automatically set itself to a combination of desired settings – from ambient lighting to background music – as soon as the user is home.
6. Virtual chefs will be projected directly into consumers’ kitchens to guide their cooking.
7. Integrated systems will read data from fitness-monitoring devices and suggest meals appropriate to certain situations, such as muscle recovery after a strenuous workout.
8. Sinks will come equipped with a finger sensor that can read users’ hydration levels, dispensing water when it’s needed.
9. Video monitoring will help consumers see exactly what ingredients they have, and systems linked to ovens and stoves will create recipes that use the meal preparation ingredients that are expiring.
10. A fridge will use ultraviolet light to sterilize food within it, keeping it safe from spoilage. A blast chiller will instantly take leftovers out of the danger zone where bacteria thrive.
Courtesy, Institute of Food Technologists
