Omron has developed a thermal area sensor they intend to use as an energy-saving device. So the first app they made was something called the “Too hot to eat” sensor. Because, you know, we can’t really tell by just touching the damn mug.
To be fair, the D6T non-contact MEMS thermal sensor itself is pretty awesome. It’s a super-sensitive infrared temperature sensor that can detect even stationary human presence from body heat. In comparison, the typical human presence sensor today relies on motion-detection and therefore cannot register people if they move really really slowly. Or if they’re ninja.
Omron is working on integrating the sensor into consumer electronics and are “aiming to contribute to the creation of new advanced energy-saving household appliances as well home and building energy management systems plus a wide variety of factory automation applications.” Using their sensor, power-hungry devices like lights and air conditioning can be shut off when no one is in the room.
So the first thing they do is hook the sensor to a smartphone and write an app that tells you if something’s too hot to eat. It is only logical. Nobody wants to touch the mug if “There’s an app for that!”
That said, the app looks quite slick in the video. We’re digging the Kinect-like interface and the responsiveness. Just kinda wish the app did something more.
(via DigInfo)
