Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM MARCH 2019 26 THE FUTURE OF CARE: WHIRLPOOL BRAND ANNOUNCES CONNECTED HUB WALL OVEN CONCEPT WITH AUGMENTED REALITY Central hub will offer guided cooking support for families The kitchen is the center of family discussions – the makeshift desk for tackling homework – and the place for preparing and cooking meals. In this multi-purpose space, the appliances need to do more than cook and bake – they should connect the kitchen. At CES ® , Whirlpool brand introduced the Whirlpool ® Connected Hub Wall Oven concept, a vision for a central cooking hub that will offer a whole new automated cooking experience for families. While traditional ovens focus on programming, running, and completing the cooking experience, the Whirlpool Connected Hub Wall Oven will expand possibilities in the kitchen with augmented reality and the latest in touchscreen technology. "We know that between homework, buzzing cell phones and over-scheduled calendars, getting meals on the table can seem like an impossible task some days," said Jennifer Tayebi, communications brand manager, Whirlpool brand. "Our new Connected Hub Wall Oven will act as a helping hand in the kitchen – teeing up recipe suggestions based on preferences, offering cooking tips, maintaining the busy family calendar and providing step-by-step cooking instructions – straight from the oven door. It will offer families a whole new, automated way to approach getting food on the table." In place of a traditional window glass oven door, the 27" transparent LCD interface will unlock access to discover, learn, and control the cooking process from a central hub. The Whirlpool Connected Hub Wall Oven's features will include:* • Between work, school work and extracurricular activities, it's easy to get overwhelmed with the day's activities. As the kitchen hub, the oven will offer integration with family calendars. If it sees multiple evening commitments and a brief 45-minute window for dinner together, it will prompt with a quick recipe that meets the night's needs. • From Parmesan herb crusted salmon to honey-balsamic asparagus, the connected oven will offer personalized recipe suggestions based on a family's preferences to help solve the daily "What's for dinner?" predicament. • With step-by-step video instructions via the Yummly ® platform on the LCD screen, families will be able to follow along with recipes straight from the oven door. No need to fumble with bulky cookbooks or recipe cards to get the recipe just right. • With different cooking times and cooking instructions, getting every dish on the table can be a challenge. With Coordinated Cooking, recipes are stacked up and steps are prompted at just the right time on the LCD screen, so your chicken and macaroni and cheese will be ready to be plated at the same time. • For families who need more assistance, the oven will provide instructions to ensure they are getting the most out of their appliance. From which rack to use, to which cooking cycle to select, the oven will visually prompt families for an optimal cooking experience. • While something delicious is cooking or baking in the oven, it can be oh so tempting to check by opening the oven door once, twice, or three or four times. But doing so drops the oven temperature and extends cooking time, delaying meals. The Connected Hub Wall Oven's internal vision system with extreme zoom lets families check the food's doneness without opening the oven door, for ideal results. Born at Whirlpool Corporation's WLabs ™ innovation incubator, the Whirlpool Connected Hub Wall Oven will offer a whole new way to care for loved ones in the kitchen. Please visit www.ces.whirlpool.com for more information on the brand's care-centric product innovations, and to join the conversation. * Features subject to change. I N D U S T R Y [ N E W S ] RO

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