We've seen plenty of smart refrigerators in the past, but none of them have been able to track what products you fill your fridge with and which ones you consume, so that it can then create shopping lists and remind you what you need to buy to refill its shelves.
And if that seems “far-fetched” to you, learn how Microsoft is collaborating with Liebherr to create a new smart refrigerator that will use machine learning technologies developed by the software giant.
The new generation of refrigerators, called SmartDeviceBox, will be able to automatically recognize new types of items, so when you buy milk and ketchup, for example, it will know that you bought milk and ketchup. And when you run out of milk, the refrigerator will add it to your next shopping list and send you a notification on your Android, iOS or Windows device to remind you to make a stop at the supermarket.
The device features cameras and sensors placed inside the refrigerator to create an inventory list and identify individual food items in the refrigerator. This allows owners to be informed about its contents remotely at any time, using only their smartphones, regardless of the platform they use, as the application supports all popular operating systems.
Although Microsoft is currently working on the prototype, representatives say the company is working intensively with its partners to bring the refrigerator closer to production, adding that other smart devices could be developed using the newly developed system.
“The system is designed to have a long lifespan: Individual units can be integrated and upgraded at any time into existing SmartDevice-ready devices, adding value and convenience to customers through new digital capabilities and solutions,” the company says.
