CookMate

An enhanced, smart microwave interface.

Authors; Georgios E. Syros¹, Fotios Bistas¹, Anastasios Toumazatos¹

Objective

The objective of this project is to develop an enhanced user interface for the GE® 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven JES1656SJ. Its current user interface can be distinguished by the large number of buttons, offering features that according to our own research seem redundant. The existing user interface provided is difficult to use for most users or certain categories of users (e.g. elderly, visually impaired). 5

We assume that the microwave will be controlled exclusively via computer (with whatever operating system; in our case a browser is sufficient), which will have a touch screen, speakers, microphone, camera, internet connection, no real keyboard and no mouse. We assume that the tablet will be integrated in a convenient place of the microwave or that it will be in a fixed place near it (e.g. on the wall) or that it will be held by the user. We also assume that the manufacturer of the device would provide us with a suitable programming interface (API) through which you will be able to control the functions of the device (e.g. starting operation, changing the desired temperature, opening the oven door).

We used three cycles of the spiral model and in order to:

• Select the categories (or class) of users to which the new interface will be directed to and study the needs of these users (e.g. by talking to users of these categories, observing them using the existing interface or interfaces of similar devices).
• Select the features of our interface (e.g. removing features of the existing interface that are not of interest to the categories of users targeted or adding features that are of interest to them).
• Prototype and evaluate our interface.

The final product of our research can be found in this repository.

Footnotes

1. All authors contributed equally. ↩ ↩² ↩³