Whirlpool's high-tech oven uses augmented reality to help you cook
A 27-inch transparent LCD on the door of this concept oven can show you what rack to use, zoom in on your food and show you next steps.
Whirlpool is bringing augmented reality to an oven. The Whirlpool Connected Hub Wall Oven is on display at CES 2019. At first glance, the front looks like an ordinary glass door, but it's actually a 27-inch LCD screen.
The touchscreen works with Whirlpool's Yummly app so you can find recipes based on your preferences and get step-by-step instructions right on the oven door. Don't get too excited though: This cool-looking appliance is just a concept for now.
The screen can supposedly show the calendars of every member of your family and suggest meals based on how much time everyone has for dinner. It'll even coordinate multiple recipes and instruct you when to take certain steps in order to make sure everything finishes at the same time.
The oven uses augmented reality to show you which rack to use and where to place it after you've picked a recipe. It will also tell you which settings on the oven are appropriate. During cooking, you can use the screen to look at your food and even zoom in so you don't have to open the door and let out the heat.
The Connected Hub Wall Oven was developed by WLabs, Whirlpool's experimental microfactory. Whirlpool hasn't yet specified plans to bring it to production, let alone an eventual price and release date.
Since the oven essentially integrates a giant smart display into the glass of your appliance, and even adds augmented instructions and the ability to check on your food on top of that, it could be a super useful addition to a smart kitchen when and if it does come to fruition.
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