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Downdraft cooktop for collaborative cooking
Collaborating with Midea, Eclipse is a inuduction cooktop with downdraft ventilation, plus special features for collaborative cooking.Keywords: Collaborative, Structural Engineering, Interface Design
The Social Circle
Eclipse is a cooktop designed for couples or friends who enjoy cooking together as a shared experience.
Designed for shared use, it redefines the kitchen as a space for connection. At the centre of Eclipse is a rotating induction area. This rotating area enables seamless collaboration between users by exchanging their positions, allowing couples or friends to cook side by side or across from each other with ease. The integrated downdraft ventilation removes the need for overhead hoods, making it ideal for central island placement—so nothing stands between the cooks and their conversation.
Apart from cooking, Eclipse also enhances the dining experience with a dining mode that keeps food warm throughout the meal. Ideal for shared dining occasionssuch as indoor barbecues or hot pot with friends, it creates a more lively social atmosphere where people gathers around and enjoy the dining time together.
The Moon Eclipse - Interface system
For a cooktop that introduces entirely new functions, the interface must be intuitive, easy to learn, and quick to operate. To simplify use, controls for the induction zone and downdraft ventilation are separated. The main switch, a knob located beside the downdraft duct, allows users to toggle between three modes: off, on, and dining mode. The touch screen on knob is the control for adjusting ventilation intensity.
On the opposite side is the interface dedicated to induction control. The center displays the heat intensity, while the surrounding ripples indicate the position of the cookware. The cooktop uses a single induction zone, allowing cookware to be placed anywhere on the surface. A built-in sensor detects the cookware’s position relative to the user, and the interface reflects this location through illuminated ripples along the circular display.
Much of Eclipse’s form and aesthetic is inspired by the phases of the moon, reflecting how our cooking habits shift over time. Some days are quiet, but some days are more active, filled with shared meals and special moments. To capture this rhythm, Eclipse features a circular ripple design around the main switch, acting as a “cooking diary”. Each ripple represents one day; the height of each ripple represents accumulated cooking time on that day. Inspired by tidal movements—also governed by the moon—this feature invites conversation, sparks memory, and celebrates the emotional time of cooking together.
Structural Solutions
The complex functionality of Eclipse presented significant engineering challenges, particularly the rotating induction area integrated with downdraft ventilation. Through multiple rounds of research and development, we arrived at a set of practical, reliable solutions.
A glass slab and an insulated safety layer sit above the induction zone, allowing users to rotate the cooking surface without risk of burns. This insulation layer also serves as a sealed edge that ensures safety and helps prevent leaks during use.
The most challenging part was enabling the induction zone to rotate. This was achieved by mounting the induction coil on a structural frame fixed to a lazy Susan bearing, allowing smooth rotation. Power is delivered through a slip ring, eliminating the need for wiring in the rotating section. The entire stucture is then mounted on the structural frame.
The downdraft ventilation system is divided into two main sections. Inside the main frame are the cover, grease filter, and primary duct, components that can be easily removed for cleaning. The blower, carbon filter, and water container are located beneath the induction frame and must be accessed from the side cabinet once the cooktop is installed. Indicator lights near the main switch notify users when cleaning or replacement is required. Filtered air is released through a customizable duct system, adaptable to various kitchen layouts.
Idea iterations
It took time to find the right design language, layout, and interaction, but the goal remained clear: to create a cooktop meant for shared, collaborative use. Through numerous iterations and full-scale prototypes, we refined dimensions, positioning, and user movement—eventually arriving at the current design language, inspired by the phases of the moon.
Team project
In collaboration with:
Chiranjeevi Vinodh Babu, Jiaoyang Li, Mukul Ramesh Kumar, Siyi Wang