What is a fuzzy logic rice cooker?
One thing that makes human beings different from
machines is our ability to judge when things are “good enough” and “could be
better.” Most machines need things in black and white/right and wrong,
without any leeway for differences. A dishwasher has no way of knowing that
if it provided on more rinse on a plate that plate would be clean. A dryer
doesn’t know that a few extra minutes will reduce mildew smell on that last
pair of jeans. All they know is that they are supposed to start and stop at
a certain time.
As human beings, we can make these judgments and
adjust things by ourselves. By bringing that logic to machines, we will be
able to have appliances that take things into consideration and adjust for
them accordingly. That is the theory behind “Fuzzy Logic.”
What is Fuzzy Logic?
Fuzzy Logic is a mathematical theory that was
developed by Dr. Lotfi Zadeh in 1965. Known as “Fuzzy Sets Theory,” the idea
is that we all have mathematical sets that group elements, and we can tell
when an element belongs or when it doesn’t, and adjust accordingly based on
how well the element fits with the set.
Fuzzy Logic rice cookers uses these mathematical
elements to adjust the way they cook rice. For example, if the rice is not
warming up quickly enough, perhaps because the rice, water, or rice cooker
was exposed to a great deal of cold, then the internal logic of the rice
cooker will notice that the rice isn’t cooking fast enough, and know that to
adjust for that problem is to turn up the heat on the thermal plate.
Fuzzy logic rice cookers have a variety of
programming to account for external changes. It also has additional
programming that can help you cook specific kinds of rice to varying degrees
of firmness. The equations are already entered inside of the machine, so you
can select the setting that corresponds to the type of rice you are cooking
as well as (in most cases) how you prefer your rice to be (harder, softer,
etc.). The machine will then make all of the adjustments for you and you
will be able to simply let the machine run and have perfect rice at your
disposal.
Extremely Beneficial, But Costly
Fuzzy logic rice cookers are by far more
technologically advanced than the standard on and off style rice cookers.
They are able to make adjustments on their own, apply programming to help
cook the rice more evenly, and are always able to bring you perfect rice
that is ready to eat.
The only issue with fuzzy logic rice cookers is
that they can be extremely costly when compared to the standard on/off
versions. While some of the most basic rice cookers can cost as little as
$20, fuzzy logic rice cookers have been known to be as high as $200 or more.
While families that eat rice with serious regularity may benefit from this
type of appliance, it may be unnecessary for those on a tighter income.
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