When I talk about the Microwave industry to “outsiders,” they usually think I’m referring to actual Microwaves, as in the ones that heat up your dinner. Typically, as most of you probably know, I’m not talking about the trusty ol’ kitchen appliance. But in this case, I really am. And so is NXP.
At IMS 2016 I had the opportunity to hold the newly unveiled world’s first battery operated, handheld portable cooking appliance. NXP Semiconductor, in collaboration with Wayv, created the portable microwave, dubbed the Wayv Adventurer.
The small, capsule looking microwave is rugged and light-weight, and allows people the flexibility to conveniently heat food anywhere. Interestingly enough, the concept came to life with disaster areas and military living in mind. The idea behind the on-the-go cooking appliance, was to support those affected by disasters or personnel at military bases and in the field.
Why? Well, typically a soldier uses a small cooking stove, sometimes enclosed in their tents. The stoves, though small and compact, still give off carbon monoxide (CO), a tasteless, odorless, colorless, and nonirritating gas produced by incomplete combustion of organic materials. According to Weaver LK, Hopkins RO, Chan KJ, et al: Hyperbaric Oxygen Foracute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, CO is the leading cause of poisoning in the United States, accounting for approximately 3,500 deaths annually. Many of those deaths, as mentioned above, are military personnel who are stuck preparing their meals in confined areas.
So why has NXP gotten involved in the making of what one may refer to as “camping equipment?” Good question. This new appliance is another way of demonstrating their position in driving interesting new product innovations into the smart cooking market through solid state RF technology.
NXP’s RF technology offers maximum power transfer with controllable energy to the food with less wasted heat. NXP’s RF module solution delivers 250W of RF power at high efficiency, combined with Wayv’s RF antenna. This helps deliver excellent cavity efficiency for effective power transfer to the food, and because battery operated appliances have limited electrical power, the best possible efficiency is necessary. The microwave allows for multiple heating cycles before recharge, and the platform includes NXP’s MKW40Z Kinetis microcontroller (MCU) with a 2.4 GHz signal generator, a MMA25312 pre-driver, MHT1008 driver and MHT1004 final stage amplifier into a single, integrated closed-loop module.
Paul Atherton, CEO and Founder at Wayv said, “NXP’s leading RF power output, high efficiency, and industry leading expertise has provided the platform to enable us to develop the Wayv Adventurer.”
And, although it may not be a demo you’d expect to see at IMS, it sure makes for fun, snackable (heh) content. The Wayv Adventurer is due to hit the market in early 2017 and the planned cost of the unit is $199.
