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To: James Connolly who wrote (4898)	4/16/1999 8:31:00 AM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 10309

James, not surprising to see ALA's name there. They had a running start at this with their experience with the French Minitel screen deployments, dating back to the 80s. FWIW, Frank

To: James Connolly who wrote (4898)	4/18/1999 12:50:00 AM
From: Charles Fullerton	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10309

My favorite embedded Internet Appliance of the future is the smart refrigerator. Imagine your refrigerator as the focal point of a family food management and health system (for starters). Attached to the Internet it can monitor and advise a family about healthy and economic decisions on food. A key will be the integrated product code scanner, which with a swipe of products added and taken form the frig will monitor and maintain inventory and usage. Probably with a voice recognition system that records the usage information according to family member(s), and enables messages and reminder notes to be included. Coupling this information with market forces and health knowledge of the family, it will enable smart Internet based advice and pronotions to be delivered as to what to buy, when to buy, where to buy, (and, incidentally, when to throw out food). The "system" would have the capability to e-mail you or phone you, maybe on the way home from work, that you need to buy "x" or to feed you a discount coupon. OK, now let your imagination run- with calory-counter recording; with specifics for individual family member's profiles; promotion and delivery of interesting or replenishent foods from a local or mail order vendor; recipes of interest, based on consumer profiles; promotions for TV or Internet food shows (whatever they become) etc. The refrigerator of the future could become the ultimate home appliance. What better focal point than the refrigerator? (Better than TV?)In additon the system could monitor refigerator temperature conditions, along with patterns of usage (i.e. door opening and closing) to determine the most economical power delivery compatible with maintaining efficient cooling (making it the cost saving rationale for buying the system). It could become the center of scheduling of all family activity -the new world reminder note formerly pasted on the refrigerator door(replaced by the refrigerator display screen). A printer? Maybe for the non PC household shopping list?