3 Key Points
- MIT develops AI recipe-generating kitchen appliance ‘Kitchen Cosmo’
- Recognizes ingredients with a camera and prints user-customized recipes with a printer
- Presents the concept of ‘Large Language Objects’ that extends LLMs to the physical world
What Happened?
MIT architecture students have developed an AI-based kitchen appliance called ‘Kitchen Cosmo’.[MIT News] The device, about 45cm (18 inches) tall, recognizes ingredients with a webcam, receives user input via a dial, and prints recipes with a built-in thermal transfer printer.
The project was conducted at the Design Intelligence Lab led by MIT professor Marcelo Coelho. Architecture graduate student Jacob Payne and fourth-year design major Ayah Mahmoud participated.[MIT News]
Why is it Important?
Frankly, the interesting thing about this project is its philosophy rather than the technology itself. Professor Coelho calls it ‘Large Language Objects (LLOs)’. It’s the concept of taking LLMs out of the screen and turning them into physical objects.
Professor Coelho said, “This new form of intelligence is powerful, but it is still ignorant of the world outside of language.”[MIT News] Simply put, ChatGPT knows text well but doesn’t know what’s in the refrigerator. Kitchen Cosmo bridges that gap.
Personally, I think this shows the future of AI interfaces. Instead of touching the screen and typing, you show objects and turn a dial. This is especially useful in situations where your hands are busy, like cooking.
What Happens Next?
The research team plans to add real-time cooking tips and role-sharing features for multiple people cooking together in the next version.[MIT News] Student Jacob Payne said, “When you’re wondering what to make with leftover ingredients, AI can find creative ways to use them.”
It is uncertain whether this research will lead to a commercial product. However, attempts to extend LLMs to physical interfaces will increase in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What ingredients can Kitchen Cosmo recognize?
A: It uses a Vision Language Model to recognize ingredients photographed with a camera. It can identify common food ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and meats, and generates recipes considering basic seasonings and condiments at home. However, the specific recognition accuracy has not been disclosed.
Q: What factors are reflected in recipe generation?
A: You can enter meal type, cooking skill, available time, mood, dietary restrictions, and number of people. You can also select a taste profile and regional cuisine style (e.g., Korean, Italian). It combines all these conditions to create a customized recipe.
Q: Can the general public purchase it?
A: Currently, it is in the prototype stage at the MIT lab, and there are no plans for commercial release. Since it started as an academic research project, it will take time to commercialize. However, there is a possibility that similar concept products will be released by other companies.
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References
- Counter intelligence – MIT News (2026-02-03)