New Appliance Applications that Leverage Technology
Emerging Technologies -- Karen Brown, Patti Tornquist, Kevin Vink
Index: Identification of technology
Recent applications
Explanation and profile of technology
Identification of major players
Assessment of limitations and potential
Brief history of evolution of the technology
How to adopt and use the technology
Future development
Other comments on adoption and leverage of the technology (links)
Identification of technology
Smart Appliances that make life more convenient via Internet-enabled capabilities, faster performance, intuitive, and user-friendly controls to include ranges and ovens, microwaves, washers and dryers, web-based simulations, and refrigerators.
Recent applications
General Electric: Wizard washer & dryer that cleans clothes in 50% of normal wash and dry time while using a logic system that automatically adjusts the machines for optimum performance. Advantium speed cooking oven cooks eight times faster than a conventional oven and doubles as a microwave oven.
Maytag: Gemini range, Jenn-Air Accellis rapid cook oven, Neptune washer and dryer. Climate Zone refrigerators have temperature and humidity storing drawers to allow food to stay fresher longer.
Whirlpool: Internet-enabled appliances that track groceries. Speed cook ovens that combine microwave and convection cooking. Dryers that have moisture and temperature sensors to prevent over-drying. The Catalyst washer nearly eliminates the need for clothes pretreatment.
Electrolux: web-enabled Screenfridge with built-in touch screen on the door that provides always-on, interactive, broadband communication technology, including TV, Internet, and radio.
Explanation and profile of technology
Technology Applications:
The Advantium oven uses powerful halogen lights to cook food without preheating in one-fourth the time or up to eight times faster than a conventional oven. It cooks the outside of food like conventional radiant heat but also penetrates the surface so the inside cooks at the same time. The Advantium can produce a whole roasted chicken in just 25 minutes with no loss to flavor or moisture as occurs with microwaves. Advantium also comes preprogrammed to cook more than 100 dishes in a user-friendly display and the oven works as a 950-watt microwave oven with the flip of a switch. This is one of several products that uses advanced simulation technology for web-based "show me how" product demonstrations. The simulation provides a virtual product that looks and behaves like the real product over the Internet so customers can "test" the product from their home and see if they want to purchase it or they can also receive customer support for a product they have already bought.
The Accellis uses controlled, smoothly flowing hot air to wrap the food in conjunction with microwave energy to cook food in up to one-fifth the time of a conventional oven. It has interactive controls that walk the customer through preferred cooking methods.
Climate Zone uses a thermostat and buttons set for desired temperatures based on different types of food to automatically adjust the climate. Humidity controls filter excess vapor through a fabric-like material.
The Catalyst washer sprays a concentrated solution of detergent onto dry, dirty clothes as they spin before wash agitation begins, effectively pretreating the entire load. Another feature is a triple dispenser that lets consumers load detergent, bleach and softener at the beginning of the cycle.
The Wizard dryer reduces 99.9% of certain bacteria that cling to fabrics.
Enabling Technology:
MAX: a product of colorado-based X-traWeb Inc., gives people the power to turn on and off almost any electronic device or system in their house – through a PC, Palm Pilot ™ or Web-enabled cell phone. MAX works on a standard HTML platform, is economical for the average homeowner because it doesn't require a PC, and is not susceptible to downtime from power outages.
Embedded Operating Systems: major appliances manufacturers will offset their lack of expertise in systems development by creating partnerships with established technology companies. Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Lucent Technologies and others have developed systems to serve as platforms for smart appliance applications.
See more under Future development.
Identification of major players
General Electric, Maytag, Whirlpool, and Electrolux are the major players for major consumer appliances. Other brands target commercial users or are made by the above manufacturers.
Assessment of limitations and potential
Many of the products mentioned are more expensive than many people are willing to spend though prices are expected to become lower with competition and economies of scale. Certain technologies discussed are forward-looking that involve a number of risks including significant fluctuations and unpredictability of operating results. There are risks in product and technology development and rapid technological change, impact of competitive products and pricing, market acceptance and changing economic conditions. Other risks include: dependence on key personnel, difficulties in managing growth, risks relating to sales and distribution, risks associated with international sales, risks of product defects, and dependence on company proprietary technology. Some innovations are still under testing conditions and have not yet been sold to mass markets.
Brief history of evolution of the technology
The technological applications mentioned are not new in and of themselves but they are new to the major appliance industry. The major appliance industry is very competitive and continuously looks for innovations and existing technology to enhance current products to give consumers options and better products.
Many applications of laundry, speed cook, and refrigeration were adopted from pre-existing features on very expensive commercial products that are now simpler and more available to home consumers. Internet based applications are merely computers adapted to fit onto appliances. The Advantium uses technology developed by GE Lighting.
How to adopt and use the technology
The technology is designed to be very user-friendly and hassle free. Controls and instructions are intuitive and straight-forward with little to no training required to operate. The technology will hopefully enhance customer's lives and give consumers more control over their lives, save them time and make them safer.
Future development
New items destined for the market place include a web-enabled refrigerator with a detachable wireless pad. It has a bar code scanner, which allows users to take a food inventory, build a shopping list and even alert them to ingredients they may be allergic to. The refrigerator will also let users know if the door is left open ... communicating by a number of methods, including cell phone, pager and wireless pad.
The voice-activated Advantium oven with Speed cook technology is another new modification. Consumers tell the oven what they are preparing and it will determine the proper cooking time and temperature and offer preparation tips. It's programmed to recognize over 200 regional accents.
The microwave with a bar code scanner means consumers can simply wave a package of food in front of the scanner and the microwave automatically sets the cooking time and power. It also includes a wand scanner, allowing consumers to take a food inventory anywhere in the kitchen.
And there's the refrigerator with the Home Sitter program. With this program consumers can keep an eye on their home when they're away. Home Sitter allows families to remotely turn lights on or off, or adjust the thermostat while they're away on vacation. It can also notify users of an electrical outage so they know if their refrigerator has lost power.
Future cooking products will bake foods as fast as a microwave in a full size oven. Internet connected products will enable consumers to start or end food preparation or laundry from remote locations. Furthermore, once the systems, appliances and computers in homes are able to communicate, the industry expects a host of value-added services to emerge.
Other comments on adoption and leverage of the technology (links)
GE Appliances
GE Advantium
E-Simulation
Live Manuals
The Mixing Spoon
Appliance Magazine
Maytag
Whirlpool Corp.
Electrolux
Appliance Manufacturer Magazine
Computer Technology Network
GE Appliances
Headquarters
Appliance Park
Louisville, KY 40225
800/626-2000
email: GE.AnswerCenter@appl.ge.com
brands:
GE Monogram
GE Profile
GE
Hotpoint
RCA
Whirlpool Corporation
Benton Harbor Div.
151 N. Riverview Dr.
Benton Harbor, MI 49002
Email: info@whirlpool.com
800/253-1301 - Whirlpool Consumer Assistance Center
brands:
Estate
KitchenAid - for information on KitchenAid brand call 800/422-1230
Roper - for information on Roper brand call 800/447-6737
Whirlpool
Maytag Appliances
One Dependability Square
Newton, IA 50208
800/688-9900 (US)
800/688-2002 (Canada)
brands:
Admiral
Jenn-Air
Magic Chef
Maytag