Sanyo Electric Co. has developed a household washing machine like no other: It can use air to wash clothes. The electric appliance maker will begin selling the washer, called Aqua, on March 11, 2006. It is the first drum-type household washing machine to use air, specifically ozone, to keep clothes clean.
Clean Technology
Aqua was developed in line with the goals of reducing the amount of water needed during washing and recycling the water that is used. Its technological innovations set it far apart from conventional electric washing machines.
Retailing for ¥250,000 ($2,155 at ¥110 to the dollar), the machine has a washing capacity of nine kilograms and a drying capacity of six kilograms. Its most notable features are its ability to use the power of oxidization to kill bacteria and eliminate odors and its "air wash" function, which uses ozone, a chemical shown to be effective in breaking down dirt.
What's Driving This Trend
- Air Washing
- The development of washing machines that use air, specifically ozone, to clean clothes presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the cleaning industry.
- Water Reduction
- The trend of reducing the amount of water needed during washing opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the clean technology sector.
- Oxidization Power
- Innovations in using the power of oxidization to kill bacteria and eliminate odors create opportunities for disruptive innovation in the cleaning industry.
Who This Affects Most
- Clean Technology
- The development of washing machines that reduce water consumption aligns with the growing clean technology industry and presents disruptive innovation opportunities.
- Home Appliance
- The advancement in washing machine technology and the introduction of features like air washing and oxidization power provide opportunities for disruptive innovation in the home appliance industry.
- Cleaning Supplies
- The trend of using air and oxidization to clean clothes presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the cleaning supplies industry.
