The Internet of Things and Your Kitchen

Posted by Patrick Maness +

Smart this, smart that. Today, the big buzz in the tech world is not the latest app available for your smartphone or a new feature on a tablet; in fact, it goes beyond the sophisticated devices and computers and right into the everyday objects that surround us.

This is known as the Internet of things, or IoT.

The IoT is a general term for what happens when normal objects — say, a refrigerator, oven or car — become smart. These everyday objects get an Internet connection or a sensor that can collect data and transmit that information. The result? Where once only phones and computers were connected to one another, now objects are thrown into an even more massive web of connectivity.

The IoT is already having a big impact on consumer products. In the next five to 10 years it may very well transform commercial kitchens, too.

To see how this might happen, let’s look at one specific item: the deep fryer. This inconspicuous example can serve as a model for how technology and interconnected kitchen appliances and equipment could change the industry.

Tomorrow’s fryer

The SmartOIL SENSOR from Pitco integrates smart technology in a deceptively simple way, saving money and resulting in better food.

The integrated SmartOIL SENSOR monitors the quality of the oil, and with great precision, determines when it needs to be changed. This saves kitchens on oil costs, and turns the sometimes-difficult process of monitoring oil into the simple touch of a button.

Why it’s important

The SmartOIL SENSOR is a relatively simple example of how sensors can make a big difference by cutting costs and controlling quality.

Similar sensors are used in refrigerators and freezer systems to precisely control the temperature, notifying managers by phone when something seems to be going wrong. This advance warning allows time to respond to the issue before it becomes a major problem.

Integrating equipment with sensors and connecting them to devices via the web opens the door to more centralized control, something major chain restaurants are already using to their advantage. But even for single-location restaurants, the efficiency, control and cost savings promised by these advanced sensors and equipment connected to the IoT will be a major game changer.

To learn more about the ovens, coolers and other pieces of equipment connected to the IoT, contact TriMark today.

 

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