Many homes are reliant upon washing machines. While the devices service an important requirement in the typical household, washing machines are generally of a uniform design. They also share other characteristics: they are large, heavy, noisy, relatively costly to run and have an environmental impact, in terms of the electricity and water used. Many machines also have a tendency to move around when the spin cycle is run (which can be overcome by positioning concrete inside the machine base, which adds considerable extra weight to the appliance). Some of these negative factors could be set to change following the development of a new device at Nottingham Trent University.
The new invention, according to The Guardian, comes as a sealable plastic container, which is filled with water. Water is filled into the device only once the machine has been set-up within the home or business setting. This makes the machine lighter to transport.The use of the device negates the need to add concrete to a typical washing machine, which adds to the improved weight and maneuverability. For firms that transport washing machines from stores to homes and businesses, given that the washing machines will weigh less this reduces the amount of fuel required for transport, leading to a lessening of the environmental impact.
The device has been commercialized by the technology company Tochi Tech Ltd, who have worked with Nottingham Trent University (an important example of a start-up collaborating with a research center over a technological invention).
One of the people involved with the development, Dylan Knight, explained to BBC News: “Everyone thinks the idea must have been thought of before. No one can really believe it. But I promise you it definitely works.”
Knight later told The Daily Telegraph more about the environmental impact: “Concrete is actually quite bad for the environment due to the CO2 released when it’s produced. The use of concrete is also the reason why washing machines are normally very heavy to move.
