Wearable technology poised to be the next modern kitchen tool
In a harbinger of how wearable technology is poised to transform home kitchens, a new app has been designed for Google Glass that promises hands-free cooking and works by voice commands and swipes.
It’s the next evolution in modern home cooking. Just as iPads and tablets have become important tools in the contemporary kitchen, Google Glass is predicted to have the potential to change the way people shop and cook.
KitchMe, developed by Coupons.com, for example, is a free app that appears in the Glass timeline and allows users to search for a new recipe either by naming the dish out loud by name or by ingredients.
The app, launched this week, will also search for recipes based on what’s already in the fridge, making it a handy tool for using up leftovers, wilting vegetables and foods nearing their expiration date.
Recipes are sourced from popular websites like the FoodNetwork, Allrecipes.com and Food.com, and can be prepared in less than 45 minutes. They also have a minimum four out of five-star rating.
Users swipe through recipe cards and ingredient lists, but can also ask Glass to read the directions out loud for a hands-free cooking experience.
“Wearable technology is a huge opportunity and where better to focus than in the kitchen where so much of what we do today can be augmented by technology,” said Coupons.com CEO Steven Boal in a statement.
Developers are also working on new features like the ability to snap photos of meals and share them with friends, and enhanced voice recognition features for the next generation of KitchMe.
Meanwhile, for messy techno-cooks, Chef Sleeve was designed to protect tablets from kitchen catastrophes and spills. Described as a ‘condom’ for the iPad, the protective, waterproof sleeve fits snugly around the device and enables cooks to scroll through menus and turn pages with grimy hands.
Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 could also be useful for hands-free navigation when it comes to recipes that require hands-on cooking as the device can be controlled via air gestures, without touching the screen.
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