E-SPATULA
OVERVIEW
two-part project to design and create a “Low Tech, High Interaction” product and a “High Tech, Heightened Interaction” product that responds to a topic of choice using appropriate technology with a possible range of interactions
developed design proposal addressing the opportunities, stakeholders, and significance of proposed product system
DURATION
7 weeks
to view “Low Tech, High Interaction” product, click here
WHAT IS E-SPATULA?
Cooking is a way to spend time together over a shared goal of creating a meal. Therefore, cooking is a shared experience of preparing, cooking, and eating meals that form traditions, stories, and memories. But what if one is not always able to be with family, or friends, or a significant other to have this shared experience?
How might we make a planning, sharing, and connecting method to help people engage and unite during meal preparation?
“E-Spatula” is a Smart kitchen device that aims to connect people in remote areas through cooking together. With a stainless steel spatula that detects motion and a magnetic charging inductor base containing two short-throw projectors, families, friends, or significant others are able to simultaneously plan for groceries, share recipes, and cook meals together, no matter how far the distance.
WHY COOKING? WHERE DOES IT START?
In 2019, supermarkets and grocery stores sales in the United States exceeded $650 billion per year. In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average cost for U.S. households’ groceries is $4,942, which is about $412 per month. Through the numbers, we can see that grocery shopping is such an important factor in our lives. Therefore, there is a significant need and opportunity to establish a better grocery shopping experience for customers.
WHAT IS THE PHENOMENON OF GROCERY SHOPPING?
While reading Things That Make Us Smart by Donald A. Norman, he inspired me to dive deeper into the meaning and significance of why people go grocery shopping. Is it merely for survival? Is there something rewarding that happens when someone grocery shops? What occurs after the grocery shopping happens? This thought process led me to interview people of different ages and living conditions (college students who live far from home, single working parents, families that live together) to research the phenomenon of grocery shopping.
“Cooking is a shared experience of quality time of being together & trying something new”
“cooking is this nice middle ground task that is just intense enough to focus on cooking but easy enough to have leisure conversations…everyone has a role that can be helpful when done together”
“[cooking is] the only way to remember and preserve the taste, smell, sight, touch, and sound of traditions...”
"Every year, my friends and I host a Friendsgiving Fondue because we aren't able to go back home to spend Thanksgiving with our families. It's a way for us to still celebrate Thanksgiving with each other, even though we do miss our families." - Cece, out-of-state college student
"My brother and I always bake a yule log cake every Christmas for our family potluck dinner. It's really the only time that we can spend time together during the school year. The cake is almost like an excuse that forces us to be together in one space to do something together." - Emily, in-state college student
"October through December are the busiest times in my home. The family dinners are always hosted at my place and this is when all the once-in-a-year decorations are placed: my grandmother's antique china plates, decorative floral napkins, and fancy silver utensils. Our traditions start with buying groceries and the whole family planning the annual dinner" - Brenda, stay-at-home mother
"these are some recipe cards that were passed down from my great grandmother. they consist of recipes written by family members, friends, coworkers, and more. now, it's more of a collection of recipes from people that my families have had memorable relationships with. it's a really nice mixture of different cultures and foods. my kids and i keeps these in a recipe box where we take turns to randomly pick out a recipe that we want to create for dinner that day. it makes it a bit easier for me to cook something new so that my kids aren't tired of the same menu everyday." - Luke, single father
"I enjoy cooking foods that originate from my origin. For example, Chinese hotpot is a popular food menu that can be prepared easily and host many people. There's something special about seeing friends from different cultures and origins enjoy the food that comes from my origin...I really believe the only thing that brings people together is food, and that's why I find every step of the preparation and cooking process so important." - Daniel, software engineer
"This may seem like a pretty fancy setup, but it's actually just pieces of old fabric that I made into a table runner and placemats. My roommates and I were too lazy to make a full dinner, so we fried up some dumplings and ordered food for our main meal. This day was a bit fancier because we were celebrating Thanksgiving, as seen by our makeshift setup with lit candles." - Thomas, college student
