Creating a Prototype of a Monitoring Service for Managing the Shelf Life of Products in the Refrigerator Using IoT: Building an Architecture and Evaluating Economic Efficiency

The research aims to develop a concept and prototype of a service that, through physical components, is integrated into a regular refrigerator and, using Internet of Things technologies, solves the problem of constant food waste due to expired expiration dates. At the beginning, the work examines the problem of product emissions in the world, the volume of emissions and all the difficulties that follow. Also, the eating behavior of people is reviewed through a literature review and a study conducted. Next, the Internet of Things industry and various technologies are considered, smart refrigerators existing on the market and hypothetical concepts proposed by various researchers, as well as what they lack and what can be implemented in the service in question. In the final part of the work, the proposed refrigerator management service is reviewed, which will allow people to throw away less. The main functions of the service are described, such as accounting for products, dates of the end of their shelf life, suggestions of cooking recipes based on products available in the refrigerator and tips for storing specific products. In addition, the mandatory physical components, the architecture of the future service and user scenarios have been designed, on the basis of which the first prototype of the service is presented for subsequent evaluation. Furthermore, an economic analysis was conducted showing the relevance and benefits of using the service for ordinary people, its budget and efficiency. All things considered, this research provides a feasible approach that increases comprehension of application of IoT technology in everyday household appliances, thereby helping the environment and the economy.