Smart pantry

Sawubona~

Good day everyone. Hope you guys (and gals) are doing well. I was just back from the CEPSI 2018 convention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For those who don't know, CEPSI is the biggest and the most prominent electricity supply industry conference in East Asia and the Western Pacific region. This is a must-attend event for the electricity supply industry players as it is held every two years. 

The convention was a great eye opener to check on all the latest technology in electrical equipment such as switchgears, inverters, capacitor banks and others. Another great thing about this year's convention is it emphasize on the Internet of Things. It was great to see that we are going towards smart technologies in our daily life. As I was walking through the hall, there were a few pantries for people to network. As I was talking with new partners, my head was spinning with an idea, can we also apply the Internet of Things into our pantry at offices?

What Makes A Pantry Smart?

The smart pantry is a modular system and can be adjusted to the different consumers needs. This base can make use of a different combination of modules to keep an updated list of the commodities in your pantry. A bar-code reader module will be a convenient way to scan all packaging that arrives from the shop as it is stored in the pantry and also all packaging as it is thrown to the trash (a mobile phone or tablet may be used as bar-code reader module). A weighing station module will enable communication through IoT with small weight sensors that can be placed under strategic commodities that will be tracked by weight. A touch screen module can be added to allow simple manipulation of the current shopping list (adding and removing items as well as a scheduling mechanism). he back-end will use machine learning to analyze your past behavior and to try and make "smart" decisions based on this behavior and the information obtained from the different modules. The combination of these means and other modules that could be added later should make the task of keeping tabs on current pantry levels more manageable.

How Does It Work?

A smart pantry uses built-in sensors to track how much of a particular item you have. For example, just put your favorite granola bars straight into the container and select the item in the accompanying app. When you start running low, the container (through a Wi-Fi connection) works with the smart app to order more straight to your pantry. The system works without the step of you pushing a button to place an order. The process is completely automated, so you don’t have to think about checking how many coffee pods you have left. The app is smart enough to learn your consumption habits, so it can order more of your favorite food before you even realize you’re running low. 

So the final conclusion is..?

Smart pantries can make meal planning and preparation more efficient and enjoyable. For example, while you are at the grocery store, cameras in an interactive pantry, or smart shelves that can scan RFID tags, can count items and determine what is already there so you can purchase only the items you need. An interactive pantry can scan the contents of shelves to create a recipe using available ingredients. 

While most IoT technology can be used to track inventory, other innovations can help people stay healthy. With the use of scanners and cameras, interactive pantries can evaluate nutritional labels on products, helping users stick to calorie counts or other dietary requirements. The interactive pantry can make nutritional suggestions to help users get recommended daily allowance of proteins and vitamins. Food-borne illnesses and spoilage can be a serious health problem. Instead of keeping track of individual expiration labels, consumers can use smart pantries equipped with scanners that alert them when food should be disposed of.

As more companies focus integrating IoT innovations in the kitchen, the range of appliances and products is increasing. By connecting smart pantries to mobile devices, companies will be better able to help their employees and customers to improve food selection and promote healthier lifestyles.