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Internet of Kitchen Things (IoKT) - Smart Tupperware(TM)

Internet of Kitchen Things

This page represents nearly two decades of research and development on software and hardware technologies dedicated to the kitchen as the "nerve center" of the home. Smart Tupperware and its many variants represent efforts to move IoT beyond mere "remote control" (which has existed since the 1930s) to reducing the cognitive load of users. We acknoweldge the support of Tupperware Corp, Oregon Tool, the RoSe-HuB NSF I/UCRC (under grant NSF 1439717), and an NSF I-Corps grant (NSF 2023412).

Smart Tupperware(TM)


Did you ever go to the supermarket to buy milk and wonder, "While I'm here, do I need to buy cereal?" With Smart Tupperware and your trusty SmartPhone, you'll never have to wonder again! Students in the Collaborative Robotics Lab are creating "Smart Tupperware(TM)" in an effort to build infrastructure for the intelligent kitchen of the future.

Instrumented kitchen dry goods containers will monitor the state of fill and physical properties of the foods within. The state of fill will be maintained to keep the shopping list current on what items to buy. The physical properties will be used to allow the system to determine, on its own, what is contained in each container. Because the containers (and sensors) must be very cheap to be practical, the individual containers must be able to determine their contents with minimal sensory information. Enter the Community of Tupperware. The system will be web-aware and interconnected in order to determine the contents, relying on a vast array of information resources and other intelligent products within the home and beyond.

No endorsement by Tupperware Corp. is implied and the Tupperware trademark is the property of Tupperware Corp.

Smart Tupperware Block Diagram
Power is the primary constraint that drives computation, communication, and sensing.

A practical shopping list app is the user's primary interface to the system. This list is automatically updated when food stuffs in the kitchen containers gets low.

We are also working with Prof. William Schuler to enhance Gesture Based Programming as an interaction paradigm for robotic assistance to the elderly in an intelligent kitchen.

Polymer Displays

We're currently working on Organic LEDs for a polymer display prototype with Prof. Sean Shaheen from the Physics Department. Out goal is to develop a printable, flexible display technology that can be deposited on the surface of a Tupperware container to provide programmable information. Below is a mock-up of what a conventional, rigid display might look like:

Smart Tupperware Removable Display Smart Tupperware Removable Display

Power and the ability to survive the microwave and dishwasher remain key design constraints.

Smart Tupperware OLED

We are developing organic LEDs on flexible substrates.

Smart Tupperware(TM) Chart


Form + Function 4-D Printing of Entire Smart Products

This work has evolved into FF4DP and our work on printable form + printable sensing, computation and actuation. We are even working on Printable Software!

See our webpage on Robotics Materials and Form + Function 4D Printing supported by the NSF under CNS 1726865).

IoKT Systems Publications

Energy Scavenging Publications

Commercial Sources for Components

Special Thanks

Thanks to Tupperware for donating a large variety of containers for our undergraduate Senior Design project.

Copyright: © 2003,2006,2010,2015,2016,2019 by Richard M. Voyles

rvoyles [at] purdue [dot] edu

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, (765) 494-4600