Would you try a ‘washing machine for humans’? A team of scientists in Japan is developing a ‘human washing machine’ that cleanses the body while playing a soothing video chosen for each user by an artificial intelligence (AI). Its goal is to “wash the mind” and body by creating the most comfortable experience possible for the occupant.
An innovation from 1970
The project is called Usoyaro and is inspired by an egg-shaped ultrasonic bath by Sanyo Electric that was displayed in the Osaka Pavilion at the 1970 Osaka Expo. This bath automatically filled with hot water once a person sat down. and then 300 massage balls massaged your body as supersonic waves dislodged dirt. The tub subsequently dried the occupant in a full 15-minute cycle. Despite its innovation, it did not take off as a product.
The current Japanese company led by Yasuaki Aoyama, who was fascinated by the invention as a child, aims to create a modern version of the ‘human washing machine’.
The current prototype has the user sit in a chair before being sprayed with water and microbubbles that remove dirt from skin pores. A sensor is also attached to the chair that is connected to an electrocardiograph , which measures the user’s heart rate. The idea is to see how relaxed users are while enjoying this technology-enhanced bathroom.
In the future, the company hopes that the human washing machine could be used in hospitals and nursing homes, as well as in homes around the world.
Reference: ‘Usoyaro Project’ Science, Osaka / OSAKA NEWS
