Scientists make a foldable oven out of cloth

By Lu EnJie - Thu, 10/04/2007 - 07:08.

A folding oven woven out of soft cloth could be on sale as early as next year predict scientists who demonstrated a prototype today. Despite weighing only a few hundred grams, the lightweight electrical oven can be made hot enough to roast chicken, according to the researchers who developed it.

Thin and flexible conductive elements are woven into the oven's highly heat-resistant fabric, said the researchers, who demonstrated the folding kitchen appliance to reporters at a restaurant in Taiwan today.

The oven's internal temperature can exceed 300 degrees without damaging the soft fabric, they claimed. The appliance was developed by scientists at the country's government sponsored Taiwan Textile Research Institute. Researchers cooked toast for show visitors to demonstrate the prototype.

The oven is designed to be extremely portable. It can be folded and weighs only a few hundred grams, according to press reports (linked page is Chinese language).

While the prototype shown today is intended primarily as a demonstration of the technology, researchers suggested a variety of potential applications where a highly portable, durable oven could be useful, including military field kitchens, camping, outdoor catering, and disaster relief – pointing out that unlike gas-powered portable cooking equipment, it requires little space while being transported, and can be safely and legally carried on aircraft. However, they conceded that the requirement for a high-wattage power supply would make it less suitable in some situations.

The cloth stove was among innovations on display at the Textile International Forum and Exhibition in Taipei. Other high tech textile products shown included backpacks, hats and clothing woven with solar panels that can power media players, mobile phones and similar electronic gadgets.

Looks sweet, Any ideas on what this is gonna cost?

By Anonymous (not verified) - Thu, 10/04/2007 - 07:46.

Looks sweet, Any ideas on what this is gonna cost?

Now they just need to knit a cloth battery

By Anonymous (not verified) - Thu, 10/04/2007 - 07:58.

Now they just need to knit a cloth battery to go with it!

HAAAAA

By Anonymous (not verified) - Sat, 01/26/2008 - 17:16.

best comment i have seen in a while. still lol

This idea is not new

By Uryaen (not verified) - Thu, 10/04/2007 - 13:51.

I saw this exact invention in a book called Future Stuff about 18 years ago. The company that invented it already had a product and it was working. Why it has taken this long to come to fruition is a mystery, but innovative? Hardly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Future-Stuff-by-Harriet-Bernstein-Malcolm-Abrams-1_W0QQitemZ290123487586QQihZ019QQcategoryZ378QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

This is the book. It's quite eye opening that something put out in 1989 has inventions in it that are not out of the realm of possibility but are STILL not with us, and yet, this book pre dates the web, and didn't see that coming. Quite fascinating.

I'm STILL waiting for my "Virtual World".

dOom, and I just realized this is a 2 year late reply xD

By AnoOnymOous (not verified) - Sat, 05/09/2009 - 05:21.

oo if your still here update the link oo (to the book)

and if the Virtual World is as it seems to say it is just by seeing it and not some weird mindcontrol crap oo
(no commas on Purpose)

then you'll have to wait probably 50 years for the video game industry to try using it.

Cause maybe by then It'll be cost effective.

Yep its all bout' the markets.
ppl in the business world who make and sell this *carp* commercially
only care bout' the money (mostly) and not bout' the Benefit of Mankind or Furthering of Science etc.
They Just care bout' convenience, fun for THIER kids and money money money.

stupid economy

yah I know it can be said in a better way go ahead and make your day bout' it oo

"..just care about

By Anonymous (not verified) - Tue, 04/13/2010 - 20:29.

"..just care about Money...": sounds like a quote right out of Atlas Shrugged

requirement for a high-wattage power supply

By Anonymous (not verified) - Thu, 10/04/2007 - 14:37.

"requirement for a high-wattage power supply would make it less suitable in some situations."

true, where would you plug in during a disaster or camping...your portable generator?

Very usable NOW

By Anonymous (not verified) - Fri, 10/05/2007 - 20:36.

I believe that DARPA has been looking at a means to provide hot meals to platoon level troops without the much larger portable kitchens they use today. Here's all they need to do.

* Slightly larger oven format so 10-12 meals can be cooked at a time.
* The electrical system is adapted to the output of a Humvee alternator.
* Adapt MRE's to be rehydrated and slid in the oven.

That way the 'chef' pops up the oven, slides in the food and out of patrol they go. Come lunch its ready.

Might not be novel but it could be useful.

I could also see a civilian adaption. instead of electric, replace the bottom with a highly heat conductive ceramic substrate. Load it up with your foodstuffs then place the whole thing on top of the Coleman stove. If it could be worked out, there are a lot of yachties who have the 2burner stove top but no oven. And I have tried the metal foldable ovens and they are a pain, exhaust too much heat and eventually break.