Week 1/2: Situations

Emily + Mitch

FRIDGE MANAGEMENT

jam packed/cluttered refridgerators are a frustration and and sometimes a spoiled item can even be a health hazard

+ Item Locator: locate an item in your fridge using voice commands, the area of the fridge it’s in would light up when it senses the item’s RFID tag for example

+ Spoiled Food Locator: this could sense mold growing in an area of the fridge and alert the user of spoiling food before it gets out of hand

+ Item Allocation Tool: an object could sense what item was about to be put in the fridge and light up an area with free space or where the item “belongs” which could be customized by the user

+ Food Tracker: what goes in and out of the fridge and what needs to be replaced

+ Space Locator: weight or light sensors on each self could sense where the most space is located

+ Space Creator: a device could physically move things around in the fridge to create room to help the user fit things in the fridge and/or be more space efficient

+ Meal Idea Generator: through knowledge of what is in your fridge, a device could compile a list of ideas for meals with things you already have

NATURAL DISASTER, EARTHQUAKE

+ Self Locking Cabinet Hinges: In an earthquake cabinets open, items dislodge. These items can vary from harmful solvents to precious heirlooms. Damage to these are not an option. In a perfect world the cabinets would lock immediately upon sensing the vibration of an earthquake.

+ Shut Off Valves: The biggest cause of post earthquake damage is fires. Caused from both combustion in gas valves and electrical surges. In some cases diligent homeowners are too late in shutting these off. With traumatic situations decreasing distractions saves lives. As the device senses the earthquake vibrations it automatically shuts off the valves before the homeowner could even reach them.

+ Safety Illumination Guide: The safest place inside a home during an earthquake might not be clear. During all of the chaos if the situation could be simplified, lights turned off and the safest places illuminated. Through decreasing distractions it forces the people in these situations to head to the safest locations decreasing the injuries cause by users.

+ Trapped Beacon: During a strong earthquake with people trapped, time is the enemy. Survivors have varying odds of survival. The most critically hurt need to be addressed first. A device that records the status of the victim including the O2 levels, health of the victim, noxious gases and other variables. Knowing this data would then allow rescue providers to effectively reach all of the isolated.

After getting feedback on our situations on Wednesday, we are excited to move forward with our 'fridge management' situation and explore the possibilities within that realm.