Technology

Laundry of the Future? Done With No Soap, No Water, No Noise — Take a Look

It is truly the washing machine of the Jetsons’ era. Only in a concept design phase, this waterless, soapless, noiseless washing machine uses dry ice to clean up your dirty clothes.

The Orbit was designed by Elie Ahovi in 2010 for the Electrolux Design Lab to show how doing laundry could look in 2050. Orbit is a self-sufficient washing machine that powers itself with liquid nitrogen and would clean clothes using frozen carbon dioxide.

According to Ahovi’s website, the ring in which the laundry ball is placed holds batteries, which are recharged while the machine is in use. Also, thanks to the battery-filled ring, the drum containing the laundry will float from an electromagnetic current.

Orbit Waterless Washing Machine Design

(Image: Elie Ahovi)

Orbit Waterless Washing Machine Design

(Photo: Elie Ahovi)

In what Ahovi describes as “cryogenic cleaning”, the dry ice will be “fired at supersonic velocity” at the garments cleaning them without damaging the fabric. Negative ions will be powered at the clothes to rid them of odors. Ahovi writes that this process would be expected to take minutes, compares to the hour some traditional loads can take.

Orbit Waterless Washing Machine Design

(Image: Elie Ahovi)

While Business Insider writes that they’ve “fallen madly in love” with the concept, it does note a few issues, such as a pet or child knocking it over while in use or the electromagnetic field not being strong enough to float the drum.

What do you think?

Comments (53)

1 2
  • LANE131
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 6:55am

    WOW!!! It just makes my sad to read all these comments putting down this idea. I can remember when Americans used to be filled with the spirit of invention and innovation.

    Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:45am

      Actually this is a great idea if it can be done cost effectly. I’ve always thought that dishes and laundry are two of the biggest waste of our most precious resource.

      Report Post »  
    • goahead.makemyday
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:52am

      I agree even if this one falls through this opens ideas for other things. New tech doesn’t always work but they will always create new ideas.

      Report Post » goahead.makemyday  
    • KathleenElsie
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 1:06pm

      I am all for this as long as two things happen:
      allow the free market to do the research
      no money from government for the research or the production

      Report Post »  
    • gordonknapp
      Posted on March 9, 2012 at 12:38pm

      Proctor and Gamble ainta gonna like it!

      Report Post » gordonknapp  
    • B_rad
      Posted on March 10, 2012 at 2:59am

      We’re so inundated with “green” tech that is forced upon us and funded by our govt that many people see this as more of the same. We need to celebrate advancement and new technology, but we need to ensure that it is coming from the only place that can make it work in real life: the free market. We will innovate our way back to prosperity and beyond what we have ever seen before as soon as we get the government noses out of our business and let free market capitalism work.

      Report Post » B_rad  
  • Slowman101
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:25am

    Interesting. BUt unproven.

    Thanks for the pop-ups Blaze! Hard up for money?

    Report Post »  
  • miren
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:45pm

    So where does all the dirt go? How about someone with Jock Itch? And will the clothes come out clean, fresh, dirt free, germ free, with nothing on it?

    One Word.

    DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post » miren  
  • seldomscene
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:01pm

    It sounds like what they are working on Iran!

    Report Post » seldomscene  
  • brickmoon
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 10:53pm

    “This is a great idea. And, of course, under my new plan, CO2 prices would necessarily skyrocket.”

    Report Post » brickmoon  
  • HotFixIt
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 10:12pm

    I’ll keep it in the garage next to my volt!

    Report Post »  
  • bigmel754
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:47pm

    Laundry of the Future? Done With No Soap, No Water, No Noise. Mostly because you won’t have any money in the future!

    Report Post »  
  • bigmel754
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:45pm

    It has not been exposed to my grandson, yet!

    Report Post »  
  • MammalOne
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:41pm

    Concept? Pshh, call me when they actually figure out the technology and produce it.

    Report Post » MammalOne  
  • Susaninsa
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:31pm

    Oh great! Next there will be regulations forcing us to buy this thing, and next a waterless toilet, and a waterless shower, a waterless dishwasher……..or maybe they could just do it all in one fabulous appliance!

    Report Post »  
  • Bernice Durdan-Rowland
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:29pm

    I’d rather go back using the ringer washing machine with the twin tubs – at least it saves a LOT of water and the clothes are NOT tortured !!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Glenn Jericho
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:28pm

    Cool… but I find the chances of me living like George Jetson in 2050 more likely than this washing machine. Just sayin’…

    Report Post »  
  • CulperGang
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:09pm

    nope. super sonic velocity??? a projectile? maybe if it is housed well away from the residence.

    Report Post » CulperGang  
    • SgtB
      Posted on March 7, 2012 at 10:34pm

      The “projectile” will be a microscopic particle that is unable to harm anything but a stain. If you are going to complain about the idea, at least do it constructively. I’ll give you an example…

      Are we going to have to construct a liquid nitrogen distribution system like we have for electricity or natural gas or will we go back to having daily deliveries like how we had milkmen in the 1940′s?

      OR…

      Wait, isn’t liquid nitrogen a slightly hazardous material to store in your home around pets and people?

      Report Post » SgtB  
  • britttkdgirl
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:55pm

    Gee, I mean if they could get it to work well and be safe, then it’d be awesome! I don’t know enough about it to make a judgement either way, but I think it’s safe to say that laundry done in minutes as opposed to hours is something to be happy about.

    Report Post »  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on March 7, 2012 at 8:02pm

      Since clothing from Walmart is about all my family can afford these days, I don’t see any of it surviving something being shot at/through it at high speed….it barely survives a trip to the normal washing machine.

      Report Post » TXPilot  
  • Skee
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:20pm

    Killing the Earth by firing frozen CO2 at supersonic speed into a single garment,
    load at a time. Does it come with Al Gore approved carbon credits.

    Report Post » Skee  
    • GUT_CHECK
      Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:59pm

      it wont pick off dog hair
      solve world peace
      or
      feed hungry mouths

      at least my current washer gets one out of three

      Report Post »  
  • canthaveitall
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:10pm

    it uses frozen cabon dioxide. does this then mean we need our carbon dioxide to use in a frozen state so it can clean the clothes? so we don’t need to worry about all the carbon dioxide we give off as humans then? is there anything left to the clothing after it goes thru a cleaning cycle? how long will clothes last using this method? using bleach a lot will wear out clothing fiber sooner. is this usable on all types of fibers that todays clothes are made from? the questions are serious- i am not a scientist. if this is coming from scientists- most of them signed onto the global warming hoopla- and i am skeptical of what they tell us now. many people will try to sell a good idea, even if it is not cost effective or actually works like they say.

    Report Post »  
  • Echelon
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:09pm

    Did Obama invest in this yet?

    Report Post » Echelon  
  • mauijonny
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:03pm

    Cool idea. Would also be a big plus in the 20 square foot abodes we’ll all be living in soon (a.k.a.: cardboard boxes).

    Report Post » mauijonny  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 6:39pm

    My wife will still b itch about me spilling coffee on my shirt.

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • IAMINFIDEL
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 6:34pm

    No way it will be approved by the EPA because it uses dry ice …. frozen cabon dioxide!

    Report Post » IAMINFIDEL  
  • Santa Cruz Kid
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 6:08pm

    And it will only cost, $783,000.00. But the cost will come down.

    Report Post » Santa Cruz Kid  
  • Marsh626
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 6:07pm

    Big whoop. It doesn’t even work. It’s little more than a fantasy drawing built with real materials.

    Report Post »  
  • Ruler4You
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 5:48pm

    Dry Ice? That’s a energy “saving” device? really? Please!

    I can tell when some one has a hold on my willie. And THIS is a tight grip!

    Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 5:46pm

    .
    Bet it won’t get out a “Skid Mark”…….

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • iblvingd
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 5:42pm

    Sounds like a hazard to have in your house. Too complicated and unsafe.

    Report Post »  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love