Inventor develops heat map for microwave - lets you know when food is done

KABC logo
Friday, February 13, 2015
(Mark Rober/YouTube)
Mark Rober/YouTube

An inventor is proposing a new development for microwave ovens that could revolutionize cooking the same way the countertop microwave did when it was introduced more than 45 years ago. How? A thermal camera:




Tap to view if on News app.



Mark Rober aims to improve the one crucial design flaw about the microwave oven: how unpredictable the required cook time is for various foods. Rober proposes that a thermal camera installed at the top of the microwave could display a heat map on the microwave window to allow users to see just how hot their food is.



And because the heat map is so accurate, users can also tell if the inside is cooked through enough without having to cut it open or taste-test. Rober even proposes connecting the heat map to smartphones to allow microwave users to see how well their food is cooking remotely. Through an app, users could add or reduce cook time as they watch it glow red.



"For the past 30 years, pretty much everything related to technology has become more awesome, from computers, to cars, to toys," said Rober in the video. But I feel like a glaring exception to this rule is the humble microwave, which has pretty much remained unchanged since its inception in 1967."



However, the invention is not out for sale just yet. In the video, Rober claims to have been granted a patent on the thermal camera and is currently seeking investment to bring the idea to fruition.



Instead of asking for investments via crowdfunding, Rober asks viewers to simply sign his petition so he can show venture capitalists the demand for the product.



Would you use a heat map on your microwave? Let us know in the comments below.



Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.