AN EASY-TO-USE MICROWAVE IDEAL FOR SENIORS WITH ONLY ONE OR TWO BUTTONS 

When all you want is to heat up food, keep things simple and prevent injuries and fires by eliminating confusing control panels and multiple buttons on microwaves

A SAFER MICROWAVE FOR SENIORS BY SIMPLY BEING... SIMPLE

BACKGROUND

This innovative concept was created by a Canadian inventor, after his concerns about how his mother, who was facing dementia at the time would be able to heat up her meals on her own as she was extremely confused using her microwave oven that she had owned for over 10 years. When he could not find an easy-to-use microwave on the market globally, a microwave intended to be simple for a user with dementia to use, he created this unique and inventive concept. Sadly, his mother passed away in July 2021 so this microwave concept will be his tribute to his mother’s legacy.

The Need and Opportunity

Like millions of adults with parents or grandparents living on the own, having a microwave that is easy to use and reduce their risk of fires or injuries would be an invaluable peace of mind. 

The Danger (International Microwave Power Institute)

According to the past President of the International Microwave Power Institute (Bob Schiffmann), “…microwave fires usually start for the same reason… it’s simply due to the food overheating. Food-based fires in a microwave almost always happen because of someone overestimated or mis-entered the cook time.


Fires from Microwaves (National Fire Protection Association: U.S.)

At least 90% of U.S. households have a microwave. According to the National Fire Protection Association, microwaves cause 4% of all cooking related house fires every year and 1% of associated deaths.


Dementia Growing Globally

Worldwide, around 55 million people have dementia, with over 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. As the proportion of older people in the population is increasing in nearly every country, this number is expected to rise to 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050.

Manufacturers Continue to Produce Confusing Control Interfaces

 

Charles Arthur, columnist for The Guardian, wrote that a writer noted how he looked at a LG microwave with 31 buttons, and a Jenn-Air one with 34 buttons, “…when all I want to do is heat up food for a specified time. The vast majority of the time, I use exactly two of these buttons: ‘add 30 seconds and then Start, Stop/Cancels. So 94% of the buttons are wasting space.”

Industry is Adding Even More Microwave Features, Becoming More Technologically Advanced and More Complicated.

 

Recent features introduced within the industry:

  • Units with up to 100 pre-programmed menu items
  • Built-in cooking sensors
  • Bar-code reading, scan-to-cook capabilities
  • Smartphone/Android compatibility
  • Etc.

Amazon’s ALEXA compatible

Panasonic’s Sensor Inverter Technology

Faberware’s Sensory Microwave

Whirlpool’s Scan-to-Cook

The industry is going in the wrong way for those who get confused using a microwave.

The Solution: HUB Strategy Ltd. One or Two Button Microwave

Side-by-Side Comparison

Conventional Microwaves

One-Button Microwave

One/Two Button Microwave Safety and Other Features

 

Feature #1:

Easy-to-use, no-mistakes or accidentally overheating food items (One Button or Two Buttons to control everything).

 

Feature #2:

Pushing the ‘Start’ or activation button multiple times will not keep adding more time and only heat the food for the pre-determined time (e.g. 90 seconds, etc.), reducing the risk of burns, overheating food or fires.


Feature #3:

The microwave has a continuous flashing light, to remind the user that there is heated food in the microwave as some users may have both memory and hearing challenges.

 

Feature #4:

Completed heating sound will continue until the door has been opened, reminding a potentially elderly person who may have forgotten his/her heated food.

 

Feature #5:

Opening the door or stopping the cooking in the middle of sequence will reset the cooking-time to ‘Zero’, making it easy to use and reuse. Other microwaves will leave the remaining time in the system when stopped by opening the door.

Comparison at a Glance:

Target Consumers / End-Users

  • Consumers with aging family members
  • End-users themselves
  • Assisted living residences with kitchens in every unit
  • Basements and dens designed for children entertaining friends
  • Shared residences (group homes) housing intellectually challenged or disabled users

ONE OR TWO BUTTON SAFETY MICROWAVE

OFFICE DETAILS


Innovative Licensing & Promotion, Inc.

Attn: Ron Wiseman

VP, Licensing Operations

100 King Street West

Toronto, ON M5X 1C7