Cook Band: a Wearable Smart Assistant for the Kitchen

A kitchen-savvy wearable armband that tracks time, temperature, and recipe steps — so you can keep your hands messy, but your workflow clean.

The Cook Band is a flexible, washable smart armband designed for cooks who want a seamless kitchen experience. Whether you're a student experimenting with new recipes or a professional chef, this wearable syncs your recipe steps, tracks cooking time, and notifies you of the next steps using subtle haptic feedback and a tiny display — all without touching your phone.

This project combines fashion, function, and tech to solve a common kitchen problem: how to keep track of time, steps, and temperatures without contaminating devices.

1. Flexible neoprene fabric (for comfort & washability)
2. Tiny OLED display (0.96” I2C 128x64)
3. Arduino Nano or Seeed XIAO
4. Vibration motor module
5. LiPo battery (small & rechargeable)
6. Temperature sensor (e.g., TMP36)
7. Conductive thread
8. Velcro strips
9. Micro USB cable
10. 3D printed case (for internal components)
11. Heat-resistant coating or silicone sheet (optional)

1. Soldering kit
2. Sewing machine or hand stitching supplies
3. 3D printer
4. Hot glue gun
5. Wire stripper
6. Scissors and fabric glue

The Cook Band wraps around the arm like a sports band. On the outside is a small display and a button. Inside sits a 3D printed case to protect circuitry. Conductive thread routes to the sensors and vibration motor for step-by-step tactile guidance.

Basic connections:

1. OLED Display → I2C pins on Arduino
2. Vibration Motor → Digital Pin (via transistor)
3. TMP36 Temp Sensor → Analog Input
4. Button → Digital Input

#include <Wire.h>

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>

#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define OLED_RESET -1

Adafruit_SSD1306 display(OLED_RESET);

int motorPin = 9;

int tempPin = A0;

int buttonPin = 2;

bool cooking = false;

void setup() {

pinMode(motorPin, OUTPUT);

pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT_PULLUP);

display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);

display.clearDisplay();

display.setTextSize(1);

display.setTextColor(WHITE);

display.setCursor(0,0);

display.print("Cook Band Ready");

display.display();

}

void loop() {

if(digitalRead(buttonPin) == LOW){

cooking = !cooking;

delay(300);

}

if(cooking){

int tempVal = analogRead(tempPin);

float tempC = (tempVal * 5.0 * 100.0) / 1024;

display.clearDisplay();

display.setCursor(0,0);

display.print("Cooking...");

display.setCursor(0,10);

display.print("Temp: ");

display.print(tempC);

display.print(" C");

display.display();

if(tempC > 100){ // notify if boiling

digitalWrite(motorPin, HIGH);

delay(500);

digitalWrite(motorPin, LOW);

}

}

}

1. Sew the neoprene band to desired size (adjustable with Velcro).
2. Use conductive thread to connect internal sensor points.
3. Print and mount the protective case.
4. Install all electronic components and secure them inside.
5. Upload code to the microcontroller and charge battery.
6. Test functionality — temp tracking, haptic alerts, and step cycling.

1. Tap to start recipe mode
2. Subtle buzz when it's time to stir, flip, or check temp
3. Display shows current temp and step
4. Hands stay free for cooking — no touching device.

1. Fabric and casing are washable and reusable
2. Battery is rechargeable
3. Encourages mindful cooking, reducing food waste from overcooking