Honestly, I’m not sure I’d be eager to try a human washing machine, even though it’s been developed by some of the brightest minds. Still, I might give it a go.
In 50 years, this device could be a standard appliance in every household, sitting next to the washing machine and dryer—it’s odd that I even need to clarify that distinction—alongside the iron and ironing board.
This is the first time many people have heard of a human washing machine, but back in 1970, Japan introduced an egg-shaped pod called the ‘Ultrasonic Bath.’ It filled with warm water when someone stepped in and even provided massages.
The original model, created by Panasonic Holdings Corp (formerly Sanyo Electric Co.), was innovative, but it never became mainstream.
Now, Yasuaki Aoyama, chairman of Science Co., has revived the concept and given it a 21st-century upgrade with the latest technology.
The Osaka-based showerhead manufacturer has prepared it for the same exhibition where it first debuted, and Aoyama, who dreamed of creating it as a child, is excited to unveil the updated version.
The “Mirai Ningen Sentakuki,” or “human washing machine of the future,” will be showcased in April, with plans to demonstrate how it works once it’s complete.
“We’re about 70 percent there,” Aoyama said. “We plan to allow 1,000 visitors to experience it during the expo,” with about seven or eight people each day getting the full ‘wash-and-dry’ experience.
So how does it work?
Much like the original, the new pod fills with hot water when a person steps inside and sits down. Sensors in the seat monitor the participant’s pulse and other bodily data to ensure the water temperature is just right.
An AI system then evaluates whether the user is calm or excited and projects soothing images on the transparent cover to help them relax.
In a conversation with The Asahi Shimbun, Aoyama shared, “It made me excited to think about what the future might look like. We’re offering this new human washing machine as a legacy from the 1970 expo.”
