Description:
With shelves that are RFID-enabled and weight-sensitive, the Smart Fridge can identify the food items (also with RFID tags) inside it and detect changes in their weight as they are added and removed. If the weight of an item dips below the user-set threshold, then voice and text notifications can be sent and the food item added to a shopping list. Users are also warned of food items that conflict with their known medications to avoid food-drug interactions, and the fridge monitors its internal temperature and humidity level.
Features
- RFID-enabled, weight-sensitive shelves
- Automatic detection of "low" items
- Monitoring of potential conflicts with known medications
- Optional voice/text notification and shopping list for low items
- Monitoring of internal temperature and humidity
Use Cases
It's difficult for Mr. Anderson to remember what and how much of something is left his refrigerator, but his son is nearby and often helps him with his groceries.
Add/remove item: Mr. Anderson removes the milk from the fridge, has a glass, and puts it back. The fridge detects that the Milk is below its threshold, sends his son a text message to purchase more milk and adds it to the caregiver's shopping list.
Software
- Phidgets Java library 2.1.7.20101803 installed on host
- MySQL database at eeyore.cs.iastate.edu:3306 (currently 5.1)
- Speech Server running at tigger.cs.iastate.edu:12345
Hardware
- 1 refrigerator
- 1 Phidget USB Interface Kit (#1018) with 1 humidity, 1 temperature, and 4 force sensors
- 1 Phidget USB RFID reader (#1023)