OREANDA-NEWS. FirstBuild™, GE Appliances’ global co-creation community, will preview two new products at Maker Faire Bay Area 2015 starting today.

FirstBuild is a physical and online community dedicated to conceiving, designing, engineering and building the next generation of major home appliances. It fosters co-creation among engineers, designers, makers and home enthusiasts worldwide by enabling them to participate in the development of appliance breakthroughs to ensure FirstBuild brings products to market people actually want.

ChillHub: The only fridge as smart as you
During Maker Faire Bay Area on May 16-17, FirstBuild will showcase ChillHub, a refrigerator with two USB ports and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. It also has an open-source iOS app that provides seamless integration in the refrigerator by allowing a user access to sensor data and control of the refrigerator’s components. This is a first-of-its-kind platform that enables the development of new hardware products that can operate inside a cooled space.

Developed by FirstBuild community members, ChillHub is not only a refrigerator, but an open development platform designed for makers, hackers, tinkerers and developers. Through rapid design iteration on the FirstBuild.com website and in the microfactory, community members collaborate on products and features to customize and create new uses for their refrigerators. 

The Opal Nugget Ice Maker
Based on online surveying, consumers prefer nugget ice over crescent ice four to one. Ice lovers praise nugget ice for being easy to chew and for its fast beverage chilling abilities. To satisfy nugget ice fans, FirstBuild has created the Opal Nugget Ice Maker for home use. This countertop nugget ice maker will be both fast and affordable, making ice at a rate of one pound per hour. The idea was generated by the FirstBuild online community and will be available for purchase via crowdfunding this summer. 

“These two products illustrate how FirstBuild can foster innovation in home appliances by teaming up with a diverse community,” said Taylor Dawson, FirstBuild product enthusiast and GE Appliances engineer. “FirstBuild is a way to create appliances collaboratively with the best minds from around the world and bring them to market in only a matter of months.”