Problem Statement about Space Microgrids

Automated Smart Rice Cooker 1

1. PROBLEM STATEMENT 1.1 Historical Introduction Rice is considered a key food for more than half of the world’s population. Its huge consumption levels make it one out of three of the world’s leading food crops. Confirming rice to be a global staple, it has been reported that more than 3.5 billion people rely on rice for more than 20% of their daily calories [1]. In the United States of America, rice is used in several different ways. Depending on the grain type of the rice, rice can be used for boiling, instant- cook products, soups, cereal, baby food, and in many other types of ways. While rice continues to be produced and consumed by humans from all over, rice stands out in low-income and lower middle-income countries as being the most important food crop for its citizens. For example, Asia accounts for roughly 90% of global rice consumption, along with other places like Africa and Latin America where rice is the fastest growing food staple [1]. Regardless of where rice is being produced and consumed, rice continues to be on a steady rise all over the world. While the production and consumption of rice has continued to increase over the years, a major health concern has been discovered in rice itself and in different types of rice products. Consumer reports have indicated that rice contains high concentration levels of arsenic, which can be harmful to infants, children, and adults [2]. Arsenic exists in two major forms, inorganic and organic, and naturally exists as part of the minerals in the earth’s crust. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic than organic arsenic, which leads to more focus on inorganic arsenic reduction [2]. The harmful element arsenic can also be released into the environment through the use of pesticides and fertilizers, resulting in arsenic contamination in the soil and water where rice is grown. With arsenic being found in the soil and water, the rice plants tend to absorb arsenic more easily and in higher concentrations than many other plants. Exposure to arsenic can increase the health risks for bladder, lung, and skin cancer, as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes [2]. Also, since arsenic is found in many different baby food products, it can lead to babies having health problems as they grow older. Personal health should always be considered an important aspect of every individual’s life. Being able to control what goes into the body can certainly contribute to better health. Consuming rice containing large quantities of arsenic over a long period of time can be detrimental to personal health. The Automated Smart Rice Cooker aims to help relieve this problem by giving people an easy-to-use device that uses a proven method that reduces arsenic and other contaminants found in rice. 1.2 Market and Competitive Product Analysis The Automated Smart Rice Cooker would be used by families or individuals who want safer, healthier rice to eat. As mentioned in section 1.1, over half of the world’s population considers rice as a staple food [1]. Because of this reason, the cooker should not have trouble attracting customers who would want to purchase it. Currently, there are several rice cookers on the market that consumers can purchase from $20 to a little over $1,800 [5], depending on the quality and features of the rice cooker. Despite there already being rice cookers, there are currently no cookers that provide arsenic reduction and nutrition enrichment. If consumers had access to the

Automated Smart Rice Cooker 2

Automated Smart Rice Cooker, they would be able to consume safer, healthier rice. Modern society is increasingly growing more health conscious and is trying to figure out more ways to be healthy. In a world where time is increasingly fleeting, the arsenic reducing rice cooker would be perfect for a population of people who include rice in their normal eating routines. The Automated Smart Rice Cooker would not only give consumers an easy-to-use device to quickly cook rice, but it would also help with preparing a healthier meal. The most important goals for the rice cooker are to make rice healthier for consumption and to reduce the number of illnesses related to arsenic exposure from rice. The Automated Smart Rice Cooker will allow consumers to have a safer way to cook their rice for themselves and their families. Having this device will give consumers the ability to improve their health, by reducing the arsenic levels in rice, while still being able to enjoy rice dishes. While it is true that by rinsing the rice before cooking it reduces arsenic, it only affects the concentration level by a small percentage. Studies show that rinsing the rice does not affect the arsenic concentration level of the rice inside of the grain, but it does wash away valuable nutrients naturally found in rice, which is not good for nutrition purposes. The Automated Smart Rice Cooker would not only reduce the arsenic content inside the rice grain, but it would also add back those nutrients previously lost from the rinsing process. This will all be done automatically for the user during the rice cooker’s cooking process. Coupling this with a pre-rinse of the rice by the user, the arsenic concentration level of the rice can be lowered by as much as 80%.

1.3 Concise Problem Statement Because rice contains up to 10 times more inorganic arsenic (IAS) than other species of crops grown in the same environment and rice is one of the three most consumed staples across the world, there is a need for an arsenic reducing rice cooker [3]. Currently, consumers must repeatedly wash the rice by hand and cook the rice in a surplus amount of water to deplete some of the IAS; however, even when these methods are used, the texture of the rice is changed, the process is time consuming, and micronutrients are depleted as well. Currently, no rice cooking device on the market reduces the content of IAS. Rice cookers today only focus on cooking the rice. At the moment, most consumers are not even aware of the high levels of IAS contained in rice or the risks associated with long term exposure. With the Automated Smart Rice Cooker, consumers will be able to reduce the amount of IAS in the rice automatically as it cooks. To reduce the arsenic in rice, the Automated Smart Rice Cooker is designed to incorporate a proven arsenic reducing wash method into the cooking process. Not only will the cooker reduce IAS, but also consumers will have the option to add any blend of micronutrients into their rice by means of the cooker’s water reservoir. This feature should be proven helpful in areas where malnutrition is prevalent. The cooker will also have the option for the consumer to choose between steaming or boiling their rice. For a firmer, more traditional rice texture, consumers can choose the steam option. Likewise, for a mushier, porridge like texture, the consumer can choose the boil option. After the cooking process is completed, the wastewater can safely be disposed in the consumer’s sink. 1.4 Implications of Success

Automated Smart Rice Cooker 3

Along with reducing arsenic, the Automated Smart Rice Cooker will provide an easy means to increase nutrients in consumers’ diets by way of nutrition enrichment, which is when the consumer is able to add micronutrients into the cooker that will allow the rice to gain back nutrients that were lost in the cooking and rinsing stages. This should help alleviate malnutrition in developing countries. If the cooker is a success, a commercially sized arsenic reducing rice cooker would also be useful in rice cereal manufacturing facilities. Infant rice cereal on average contains 103 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic [4]. According to the FDA, “rice intake, primarily through infant rice cereal, is about three times greater for infants than adults in relation to body weight [4].” Since doctors suggest feeding babies up to 3 servings of rice cereal a day, mothers could be assured the cereal is safer for their babies if an Automated Smart Rice Cooker was used in the cooking process.

Automated Smart Rice Cooker 4

References [1] “The global staple.” Ricepedia, ricepedia.org/rice-as-food/the-global-staple-rice-consumers. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017. [2] Reports, Consumer. “How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice?” Consumer Reports, www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm. [3] Society, National Geographic. “Food staple.” National Geographic Society, 9 Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/food-staple/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017. [4]"Questions & Answers: Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products", Fda.gov, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/metals/ucm319948.htm. [Accessed: 11- Sep- 2017].

[5]Amazon.com. (2017). Amazon.com: $200 & Above - Rice Cookers / Small Appliances: Home & Kitchen. [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st_price-desc- rank?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A1055398%2Cn%3A!1063498%2Cn%3A284507%2Cn%3A2899 13%2Cn%3A678540011%2Cp_36%3A1253527011&qid=1505171983&bbn=678540011&sort= price-desc-rank [Accessed 11 Sep. 2017].