Gadget that tells shoppers what’s left in the fridge
THE days of missing items off your shopping list because you’ve forgotten what is in the fridge could be over.
A new gadget will allow shoppers to see exactly what they’ve run out of – in the middle of the supermarket.
From today tech firm Bosch will be selling mini-cameras which can be installed inside a fridge and are connected to an app on someone’s smartphone.
This will allow that person to see what is inside from wherever they are – whether at work, on the train, or browsing the aisles at the local shops.
Shoppers can even zoom to check exactly how many eggs they have, for example, or if there are enough vegetables in the drawer.
It is part of a range of gadgets that have been launched by Bosch, as part of its smart home range which will connect dozens of appliances to mobile phones.
They also include gadgets which will allow homeowners to speak face-to-face to delivery drivers waiting outside their front door – even if they are not at home.
When someone rings the doorbell it activates the app on the phone. With a camera and microphone installed on the doorbell homeowners will then be able to see and talk to whoever has called on them. They could then instruct the driver to leave packages with a neighbour or in the porch, or tell unwanted cold-callers to go away while sitting at their desk at work or even on holiday.
Other devices in the range include controls for heating, lights and cameras which can also be monitored using an app.
Steffen Hoffmann, president of Bosch UK, said: ‘If you’re in the supermarket you can check the fridge, or if you’ve lost your wallet you can check if you’ve left it on the table. People might be much more comfortable having that kind of control, often when they are getting older.’
Being able to control household appliances remotely was once considered to be a futuristic fad.
But tech giants have been scrambling to introduce their own smart home ranges.
Amazon has launched its Echo device which reacts to spoken instructions, while Google has bought the company behind the Nest. The Amazon Echo was criticised earlier this year after owners found the device was listening to their TVs. People said the gadget ended up buying an item after hearing it mentioned during a programme.