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Outdoors

Hand-held microwave takes home convenience into the wild

May 22, 2016
Hand-held microwave takes home convenience into the wild
Between 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) and 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) of food or drink can be contained in the Wayv Adventurer for heating
Between 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) and 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) of food or drink can be contained in the Wayv Adventurer for heating
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Between 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) and 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) of food or drink can be contained in the Wayv Adventurer for heating
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Between 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) and 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) of food or drink can be contained in the Wayv Adventurer for heating

Flicking on a gas burner or cobbling together a fire might be the most common way of cooking in the great outdoors, but another option is on the way. The Wayv Adventurer is a battery-operated radio frequency cooking appliance that's small enough to fit in a backpack. In other words, it's a hand-held microwave.

Wayv produced the Adventurer in partnership with NXP Semiconductors, having raised £150,000 of funds for its development via a 2014 Crowdcube crowdfunding campaign. It is designed to heat food and drink anywhere, while being compact, rugged and lightweight. It can be also be used in areas where having a lit flame is banned.

The Adventurer was conceived for use by the likes of military personnel and adventurers, but it can be used when you're simply out hiking or fishing, or even in workplaces or cabins where there are no cooking facilities. Between 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) and 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) of food or drink can be heated in the unit.

Power is provided by interchangeable quick-charging li-ion batteries. These can be charged from in-car sockets or solar chargers as well as via mains power, and a full charge will provide around 30 minutes cooking (up to six cycles of heating for food or drink).

Measuring 305 x 128 mm (12 x 5 in), the Adventurer is about the size of a typical flask and it weighs in at just 1.2 kg (2.6 lb). This means it will fit easily in a backpack and can be lugged around without any great effort.

Simple controls on the top of the unit include start, stop, backlight and time adjustment buttons, as well as a digital display.

Unlike the vacuum tubes used in conventional microwave ovens, the Adventurer uses technology developed for RF amplifiers in cellphone towers – laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductors (LDMOS) transistors – to generate its 250 W of power. This is what makes the design so compact and lightweight, and it also enables food to be heated evenly without the need for a turntable.

The Wayv Adventurer was demonstrated last week by NXP at its own tech forum event. We're waiting for confirmation on a release date, but the Adventurer should land sometime next year at a cost of US$199.

Sources: Wayv, NXP
Wayv_unit_film_720

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William H Lanteigne
Something like that might be appealing to cubicle workers who often eat their lunch at their desks, perhaps at a third of the suggested price. As with all other electronic devices in the history of electronic devices, the price will eventually drop.
Arahant
Pretty interesting, I like it. Quite compact, the price really isn't unreasonable, I think most people are going to prefer cooking with fire when outdoors but there will certainly be plenty of time where thats not possible. For instance imagine if your backpacking through an area where starting a fire is absolutely prohibited due to extremely dry environment and hot temperatures, or perhaps in an area where there isn't any burnable material.
I think they should make one thats abit bigger aswell, as the size is pretty small although I think intended and useful, but I think slighty bigger versions could have a place to.
I'm also wondering about what it says about it having approximately 30 minutes cooking time, or 6 cycles... does that mean if you only used it for 6 1 minute cycles that would be it?
MichaelFord
You could get a handheld sous vide for that price.
Derek Howe
This would be great for people who contractors on a job site (Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tinners, HVAC, ect). As a electrician, my options are cold sandwich, or fast food. It would be nice to have a durable small microwave that I could carry on the truck. It's shape is odd though...would I put a burrito in it, standing on its end?...