Pedal-Powered Washing Machine Gets Big Company Backing

by Jaymi Heimbuch

from: http://www.treehugger.com/

Photo via Gizmag

Bike-powered washing machines aren't a new idea; however, at least one big appliance company is backing up the idea. Haier, an large electronics company out of China, showed off a human-powered washing machine concept at IFA 2010. It's fairly simple -- an exercise bike collects energy as the person pedals, and the charging battery then powers the washing machine. Supposedly 20 minutes of work is enough to wash one load of clothes on cold cycle. The idea of using human power to get off grid even a little bit is tempting -- and of course gyms are becoming quick to harness the power of people exercising. But could it work at home?

Gizmag writes, "The rationale behind Haier's IFA display is that, like almost every major electronics manufacturer, it's keen to make consumers aware of its environmental commitment...That's not to say that the human-powered washer is a total gimmick. Haier told us that it is gauging consumer response at the show and might consider bringing the idea to market."

Even with a big company looking at pushing it forward, whether or not someone would bring this into their home is up in the air. I can see it being like one of those NordicTrack systems that seem so brilliant around the holidays when we're keen to loose a couple pounds but loses its shine a couple weeks later. After all, the Cyclean hasn't exactly taken off in the last four years.

But I have to say, as someone who likes to cycle for exercise and multitask, I'd definitely consider something like this. It'd not only save me money from the energy bill each month, but I'd be able to quit my gym and save money there too. Not a bad deal. And I'd be forced to exercise since being lazy means no clean clothes.

Even with Haier's backing, it seems very unlikely to be popular if it makes it to market. Plus, the bigger environmental issue with washing machines isn't their energy use but their water use. A bike-powered system would be better suited for the clothes dryer portion of a wash load.

Would you use it? Or better yet, would you convert your existing washing machine to run on pedal power?

Washing machine that uses one cup of water

An environmentally-friendly washing machine developed in Britain that uses only one cup of water to clean clothes could be on sale next year.

By Alastair Jamieson

Only a small amount of water and detergent is needed to dampen the clothes, loosen stains and create the water vapour that allows the beads to work Photo: GETTY

The appliance, which could save billions of litres of water a year, has been developed at the University of Leeds.

It uses less than 10 per cent of the water of conventional machines and 30 per cent less energy by replacing most of the water with thousands of tiny reusable plastic beads to attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions.

Xeros, the company behind the technology, will start selling the machine to commercial customers such as hotels and dry cleaners before taking the idea to ordinary household consumers

Only a small amount of water and detergent is needed to dampen the clothes, loosen stains and create the water vapour that allows the beads to work. After the cycle is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machine’s drum and can be re-used up to a hundred times.

Xeros has signed a deal with GreenEarth Cleaning, an environmentally friendly dry-cleaning business, to sell the technology across North America.

Chief executive Bill Westwater said: “We’ve got an eye on the consumer but it will take time and we hope commercial success could act as a springboard to move into the consumer market.

“We’ve been very encouraged by the response from people, but the proof is in the pudding and that means putting a machine into someone’s operations and justifying the savings.”

The technology has been developed by Professor Stephen Burkinshaw of the University of Leeds and funded by IP Group, an intellectual property commercialisation group.