The Problem: Food Goes to Waste Because We Forget What We Have
From interviews and observation, we learned:
Figma Prototyping
We explored 3 major directions:
We ultimately combined the visual shelf layout with expiry prioritization to balance familiarity and usefulness.
Physical Build
Digital System
We trained an image recognition model using Google Teachable Machine to recognize common produce items like bananas, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
A webcam mounted inside the fridge captured images of the contents, which were classified locally and used to update the UI in real time.
The fridge interface was first designed in Figma, then brought to life in p5.js using OpenProcessing. I coded the interaction logic to simulate shelf-based organization, item tagging, and freshness tracking. This interface was deployed on an iPad embedded in the fridge door, creating a fully interactive screen experience.
By connecting the webcam classification with the UI logic in p5.js, I created a responsive system that could recognize produce, estimate freshness, and surface recipe suggestions — all running live on the prototype.
The fridge interface was first designed in Figma, then brought to life in p5.js using OpenProcessing. I coded the interaction logic to simulate shelf-based organization, item tagging, and freshness tracking. This interface was deployed on an iPad embedded in the fridge door, creating a fully interactive screen experience.
By connecting the webcam classification with the UI logic in p5.js, I created a responsive system that could recognize produce, estimate freshness, and surface recipe suggestions — all running live on the prototype.
Completed Prototype Features:
We demoed the system at our course’s final expo, where attendees could interact with it directly. Many loved the concept and remarked that it felt both futuristic and useful — a rare combination. Our project stood out for its integration of mechanical, digital, and experiential design.
“It’s like a meal planner, fridge manager, and shopping assistant in one.”
What’s Next
If we were to keep developing Smart Fridge, we’d love to explore:
LLM-based smart recipe generation
A mobile interface to sync your fridge to your grocery trip
Dietary filtering and allergy-based recipe sorting
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This was one of the most holistic projects I’ve worked on — blending physical fabrication, computer vision, UI/UX, and user-centered problem solving.
It reminded me that meaningful interaction doesn’t just happen on screens. Designing something that lives in someone’s kitchen means designing for behavior, emotion, and daily life.
I loved making this — and I want to build more systems like it.
Me, Sarah, and Professor Andrew Twigg
