I recently read about a high end induction stove technology. It looks just like a regular countertop.
But when you put the right kind of cookware on it, the cookware automatically heats up. As soon as you take your pot or pan off the surface, the smart surface cools down.
Little glowing lights are embedded in the surface, so you know when its operating. Other than that, it’s just like any other part of your countertop. No need to worry about spills, and no crevices for crumbs to get stuck inside.
As technology advances, it would be interesting to generalize this idea.
Maybe if you put down a different kind of vessel, the same surface would be smart enough to cool down or even freeze. Your refrigerator or toaster would just be different kinds of containers on your countertop.
A little further in the future, hard benches by day could turn into soft beds at night. The smart surface would detect when a person is lying on it, and adjust itself accordingly. It would also recognize who is sleeping, and adjust its firmness to their preference.
In the long run we will no longer need garbage disposals. Just drop your egg shells or orange peels on the kitchen counter, where they will be quietly absorbed and disposed of.
We might want to draw the line at toilets. Not because smart surfaces would have a problem with that, but because we might.