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Device Technologies and Biomedical Robotics

Device Technologies and Biomedical Robotics - Poster Session E

Poster J5 - Universal Kitchen Assistant – Novel device for single-handed, low-force stovetop to oven transfer

Saturday, October 26, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Introduction:  Weakness, numbness, and loss of dexterity caused be diabetic peripheral neuropathy, DPN, affects over a third of diabetes patients and can vastly affect an individual’s ability to perform the activities of daily life or ADLs, such as cooking. In addition to the 37 million individuals in the U.S living with diabetes, over 40,000 people suffer upper limb loss in the U.S. each year. Both of these groups will experience challenges when trying to safely cook for themselves or their families, and there are currently no affordable technologies that can integrate with free-standing ranges to address this critical need. The Universal Kitchen Assistant provides a heat and food safe, low friction platform for moving large cookware from the stove top to the oven. This device incorporates a locking mechanism to increase user safety as the transfer platform can be paused during transfer. Additionally, a force-minimizing hinge system decreases the lifting effort needed to transfer dishes weighing up to 50lbs. The Universal Kitchen Assistant can support millions of individuals experiencing challenges related to upper limb mobility and strength.

Materials and

Methods:  The Universal Kitchen Assistant is comprised of a pair of spring-assisted hinge assemblies mounted to the sides of a standard free-standing kitchen range with a low-friction transfer platform across the top of the range (Figures 1 and 2). Hinge assemblies, shown in Figures 3 and 4, are mounted to sliding carriers on either side of the range to permit front to back translation of the hinge and transfer platform portions of the device. The sliding carriers can be mounted to the range itself or adjacent cabinets or walls as determined by the particular kitchen layout. The current prototype, shown in Figure 1, incorporates an optional foot mechanism to increase stability which would be unnecessary if wall mounts, like earthquake straps, were used. The sliding carriers permit the user to move items from either the back or front of the stovetop onto the transfer platform. The low-friction transfer platform, comprising an array of metal rolling transfers, allows the user to slide cookware from the stovetop onto the platform for transfer to the desired level of the oven, where the cookware can be pushed into the oven. The platform can support items up to 50 pounds that temperatures to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The platform locks at the stovetop height and at the height of the oven racks for safe transfer. Additionally, the platform can be customized to the preferred depth and style preferences of the individual by alteration of the platform dimensions, roller transfer layout, and silicone layer color.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: The Universal Kitchen Assistant employs spring-assisted hinge and translation system, and a low-friction roller transfer plate to permit safe movement of stovetop cookware items without the need for the user to lift anything. In use, the user pushes the stovetop item onto the transfer plate, opens the oven door, translates the hinge assembly forward (Figures 3 and 4) actuates the locking mechanism to allow the transfer plate to lower to the desired level in line with their desired oven rack (Figure 5), pushes the cookware onto the oven rack, moves the transfer plate back to its higher position above the stovetop, and closes the oven door. This process is reversed to remove items from the oven to the stovetop. To increase user enjoyment, the low-friction transfer platform can be customized to the preferred depth and style preferences of the user by altering the platform dimensions, roller transfer layout, and silicone layer color.

Current assistive kitchen technologies and devices fall into two main categories; adaptive lids that permit one-handed movement of cookware, and overhead track systems that are permanently mounted to the ceiling. Adaptive lid technologies assume the user can safely grasp handles and maintain a steady grip while using both vertical and horizontal motions of their arms. Overhead track systems provide stability for lifting activities, but these are prohibitively expensive and are not available to many individuals who are unable to permanently alter their homes, such as individuals who rent their homes. Millions of individuals cannot safely perform these actions due to an injury or disease, and thus cannot independently cook for themselves or their families. The Universal Kitchen Assistant will allow users to adapt their current range for safe use and will not require users to alter their home permanently. Additionally, this device decreases the risk of injury through the use of a low-friction cookware transfer platform.

Future work on the Universal Kitchen Assistant includes incorporation of a lighter platform materials, and a single-handed locking mechanism, so that users with the use of only one arm or hand can safely operate the device.

Acknowledgements (Optional):  Research reported in this abstract was supported in part by the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Network for Biomedical Research Excellence from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20GM103430.