Secrets of a Whimsical Designer
DISCUSSION:
Before there were fancy washer-dryers, before there were powered sewing machines that did everything, my mother provided the power for some of the functions of her appliances. She operated a foot-treadle that allowed her to carefully control the speed of her sewing machine. She hand-fed clothes through her washing machine wringer. She carried baskets of clothes outdoors and hung them out to dry in the sun. Today most (but not all) of the functions of appliances are performed without human help. Even with the fanciest washer-dryer machines, some use of human power is still required: Pouring detergents or bleach by hand, carrying a laundry basket to one’s bedroom, folding or hanging up clothes.
I have sometimes tried to imagine drawers, bins or slots in the wall of a futuristic home that offer access to a hidden conveyor system (okay, this is the kind of invention a 6-year old comes up with). One simply tosses dirty socks and underwear toward the bin or slot, and they are automatically conveyed to the washing machine and thence to the dryer, and returned to the bedroom folded. Maybe there are buttons on the wall: One button says Urgent and the other says Accumulate (i.e. let clothes pile up until the machine’s brain indicates it’s the right time for washing a load).
The opposite of this trend toward increased mechanization is the trend toward reduced power consumption and simple, “natural” living. So far, not too many folks are racing to adopt the simple lifestyle, one that requires chopping wood outdoors to stay warm at night. Most people have the habit now of exercising on special machines, and are happy to let their appliances do their drudgery for them. They don’t want to think of powering their own appliances!
But could we power such machines? The laws of physics are not in our favor. Moving a large batch of clothes round and round in a washing machine would require the strength of a powerful athlete, who would soon tire. But what if we could move clothes around very slowly? I have examined that possibility. What do you think? Is this just plain dumb?
COMMENTS:
Below, MARCO has indicated that pedal-powered washing machines already exist. His links show it to be true. I watched the video. I want one of these, made by MayPedal! Thanks! Steve
Saturday, May 2, 2009
My mother provided part of the power for her appliances
Exercise bicycles come in many styles and are popular, though many end up in closets. There are even small models that store under one’s bed. Here is a pedal-powered washing machine.
WHAT ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED WHEN DESIGNING THESE APPLIANCES?
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1.Plausibility: This is their weakest area. These machines are only plausible if one assumes that the gearing is like that of a mountain bike, where the rider must pedal vigorously while climbing very slowly up a steep hill.
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2.Design challenges: In the TRIMCYCLE, an effort was made to figure out how it might be folded up into a compact box, without any of its features sticking out. With the STEPPERWASHER, the addition of hand rails makes this repurposed machine look inviting to the potential exerciser. Seeing the rails, the thought of wanting/needing to exercise might be triggered.
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3.Aesthetics: Neither machine looks nonsensical or inherently strange. Neither would look out of place in a garage or laundry room.
Stair-climbing and stair-stepper machines are in vogue. This shows how a stair-stepper would be integrated with a washing machine, one that includes a TV and Internet connection.
STEPPERWASHER
Comments Widget
PROJECT: CREATE A HUMAN-POWERED WASHING MACHINE
The washing machine and the exercise machine already exist in varied configurations. In this exercise, an effort is made to mesh their functions into an aesthetically-pleasing, plausible single design. There are several design challenges in this exercise.
