No idea how it would work... something like pots/pans with RFID tag that works in conjunction with some electronics in the stove? So when boiling over is detected, it sends a signal to the stove to turn down heat?
-- slater, Jun 11 2013

Infrared thermometer http://www.pastryit..._FI40Lpostive_1.jpg
something like this [piluso, Jun 11 2013]

It would work fine with halogen and induction hobs - just not the old-style electric heating elements.

Better, though, to put the sensor on the hob top. I don't know how you'd do that, which puts it on a par with the idea as posted.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 11 2013


Even with the standard electric units, it should be feasible. Remember that boiling water is pulling heat out very quickly, and even a slight cooling will reduce the boil level. You just might want a set with the sensor set a bit lower.

As far as how you do it, that's a little harder. A temperature sensor probably wouldn't do it, since it will all happen right around local boiling point (and you'd need a pressure sensor as well). Possibly an optical sensor and clear pots or pans, or at least clear patches.

The best might be either vision or ultrasonic from a top (hood) mounted sensor, as long as you didn't have lids on the pots. It would trigger and set two heights (rim and liquid level) whenever a pot is placed on the stove and analyze when the two get closer to each other. You might end up needing more than one camera with a high parallax to see the movement, and you'd definitely need some fairly complex vision algorithms.
-- MechE, Jun 11 2013


Put a infrared thermometer [link] aiming the Pot/Pan from top and set the alarm to the desired temperature
-- piluso, Jun 11 2013


//set the alarm to the desired temperature// Not a good idea. Water which is boiling over is at the same temperature as water which is simmering nicely, namely the boiling point of water.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 11 2013


Is this about reaching boiling temperature or overflow caused by boiling ? In the first case, an alarm 2c or 3c below the boiling point must work. In the second case; a simple radar as distance meter checking the level it's the obvious choice. For simmering liquids, a whistling lid could be connected via bluetooth to a power amplifier system.
-- piluso, Jun 11 2013


//put the sensor on the hob top// That's been baked since at least the 70s. It's usually restricted to a single elephant, which has a temperature sensor in the middle and a 'simmer' setting on the corresponding control dial. No boiling over.
-- spidermother, Jun 12 2013


^^^ It all made sense up to "elephant".
-- pertinax, Jun 12 2013



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