Product+Concept

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Personally being interested in extra curricular activities that involve the kitchen, such as cooking, baking and overall creating, it was only natural that this is where my chosen product stemmed from. Being an amateur chef has caused me to run into countless problems while attempting to cook up a storm. This fact makes it simple to identify common problems and try to create a solution that does not yet exist, attempting to implement a product to satisfy these needs.

The idea that I have chosen to create through the product visualization process via 3D modeling is something I have aptly called “Kitchen Counter”. A play on words, the product not only sits on the horizontal work surface mentioned, but its purpose is also to numerically tally items in your kitchen. The Kitchen Counter is a digital computer device, approximately 6in x 4in that logs information you put into it about the ingredients you have available to you at any given time. Using its interactive touch screen, it then takes this information you give it and, pre-programmed with thousands of recipes, makes suggestions about what meals you can make based on the ingredients you have at hand. It is simply used by inputting the groceries you purchase as you do so. You can take it to the grocery store and use it as a grocery checklist, or simply magnetically attach it to your refrigerator and input the groceries as you unpack them into their appropriate places. The device also acts as a scale, allowing you to place items on it and measure them accordingly. This function allows it to know how much of a given ingredient you have and eliminate recipes appropriately. For example, if you only have one cup of sugar left, it will not suggest items requiring more than one cup of sugar, such as pancakes, cookies, cakes, etc.

The Kitchen Counter is a great device, practical for many different types of people. It is practical for mothers who don’t know what to make their family for dinner, health conscious people who are trying to moderate and watch what they eat, teenagers whose cooking experiences and abilities are limited, men who want a simple, quick fix and many more.

There are many problems that this device solves through production. As mentioned, it weighs and keeps track of products in your house, having the ability to alert you when certain products are running low or about to expire. This function, if used appropriately, prevents waste, spoilage and overconsumption. It allows one to get foods needed, and use up those that aren’t. Also, it can be used as a diet consultant, allowing users to log other foods that they eat outside of their kitchen (workplace lunches, fast food, etc.) and track what they eat, making time appropriate recommendations based on what nutrients are lacking in ones daily diet. It also has a timer-based function, which users can activate and be alerted in ways that convince a healthier lifestyle, such as drinking a glass of water to meet your daily intake.

It is also a handy, modern way of having thousands of recipes catalogued in one convenient place. The program comes pre-installed with thousands of recipes, but also has the capability to download updates from the Internet, as well as accept personalized entries from the user, such as old family recipes. The unique cataloguing system is what sets it apart and enables it to be far superior to any other recipe guide. Because of its customizable nature, it breaks each recipe down into multiple categories other than the standard, such as entrees, appetizers, desserts, etc. Each recipe can be subdivided into categories; such as hot and cold meals, ratings you give it based on how much you like it, ease of creation, how healthy the meal is, how many it feeds, how much time it takes to create, etc. This function successfully targets the appropriate meals without any hassle, saving users time and leaving them satisfied.

These and many more reasons solve the common problem everyone faces, never knowing what to make, and remove the stress of creating and planning, leaving users able to simply relax and take joy in something normally considered a chore.