A wireless method for pressing tofu #MakeMIT @hackaday @MIT @MakeMIT
Via Hackaday, a team of students at HackMIT developed TofuPresto, a device that incrementally presses tofu for you, using signals sent over WiFi to initiate the device. Several 3D-printed components extend an existing food container, along with a stepper motor, motor shield, Adafruit Feather HUZZAH, and a screen.
Compared to meat, tofu is much more environmentally friendly source of protein. Unfortunately, individuals are often hesitant to cook tofu because the preparation process can be tedious: before cooking, tofu must be incrementally pressed for 1+ hours to drain the excess water and achieve the right consistency. We developed TofuPresto for ourselves and all those who are looking for a more convenient way to eat tofu.
Specific markets that we’re aiming to address are college students, single parents, vegetarians who are currently eating meat out of convenience, and people who are desiring to eat tofu in order to have a smaller environmental impact. We hope that this device will encourage individuals to reduce their meat consumption by lowering the obstacles for eating tofu. By popularizing tofu, we can help the world make a more environmentally friendly choice.
TofuPresto stores the tofu in a user’s fridge, keeping the block soaked in water to preserve its freshness. Once the user anticipates returning home to cook tofu in one hour, the user sends a message over WiFi to initialize TofuPresto. TofuPresto begins to lift the tofu upward in its container, draining the liquid as the block is pressed with increasing strength against the lid. The process continues for 1 hour without any more effort from the user. When they finally return home, the user is welcomed by a pressed, firm tofu that is ready to be tossed in a skillet and enjoyed.
The team received first place in the MakeMIT2019 contest and won the Infosys Most Innovative Hack prize.
Read about the build process and lessons learned in the project post here.
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