How can AI and other tech help make running your home and kitchen more efficient? There were plenty of new ideas from top manufacturers at IFA Berlin.
While we may not be aware of just how much influence it has yet, artificial intelligence (AI) is pervasive in our everyday lives – and now it has its attention set on helping you in the home.
Innovations showcased at this year’s IFA Berlin – its 100th edition – included tech that helps you run your home with greater comfort and efficiency.
For electronics company Haier, it’s all about connecting your appliances, heating and cooling with a vast amount of data through AI and the Internet of Things (IoT).
“This is the hundredth year of IFA. It’s actually the 40th year of Haier. So we’re a pretty new company, 40 years, relatively new,” said Neil Tunstall, CEO of Haier Europe.
“Through those 40 years, we’ve grown from a regional provincial company into the biggest company in the world in home appliances with this idea of zero distance: no distance between us and the consumer. And if you think about it, what is going to accelerate that is the IoT”.
That’s why Haier is investing “huge amounts” in tech, he says. That goes for all their brands at IFA – including Candy and Hoover. Haier’s Extended Smart Home Ecosystem links up the group’s appliances, services and accessories.
“So, whether you look at our new washing machines that have this fantastic airflow technology that allows you to put fresh air into the product so that if you forget to pick out you’re washing just for a few hours, you don’t want to get musty with our product. It will blow fresh air into the product, which will keep it fresh all the time,” Tunstall added.
AI-assisted cooking
Bosch featured its AI-assisted oven in Berlin this year, with a camera inside that detects what kind of food is inside, then offers options on how to set the way to cook it.
“The newest Bosch innovation in our Series 8 oven – food recognition,” said Benjamin Bruckschwaiger, Bosch Product Trainer, demonstrating how it works.
“It’s the easiest way to get to the right setting. Just put your dish inside, close the door. Food recognition is running”.
The camera and tech inside determine it’s broccoli, with a choice of how to cook it.
“Just press on Start and everything is done,” said Bruckschwaiger.
Then there’s TCL’s newest addition to its TV line: Next Frame TV.
“It’s a TV that is designed especially to fit in people’s home, with a matte screen and super slim bezel that you can put on the wall or on a stand,” said Frédéric Langin Chief Commercial Officer at TCL Europe.
“People actually today, they want bigger TVs and they want the best technology, the best premium technology at the most affordable price,” Langin says.
TCL has also boosted energy efficiency among its home appliances.
“If you should look at washing machines or refrigerators. We have just launched products with A+++ certification,” says Langin. “So globally, we are reducing power consumption”.
- IFA Berlin 2024 ran September 6-10 at the Berlin Messe.
