Cloud Connected Washer

[qualin]

I admit that it would be nice if my washer and dryer had the capability to send my phone a text message or an e-mail to say it was finished, but that's about the extent of the connectivity that I'd want from it.

I have a friend with an LG washer and dryer that has a remote time readout which uses the powerlines in his house to display the amount of time remaining on the washer and dryer. That's pretty slick.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Cloudwash

Its a great idea on how connectivity controls can be used in even a humble washing machine - the design consultancy has been well "Connected" for many years. Great that you can take all those 30+ programmes you find on todays washers and customise your own key programmes you use everday.

Having grown up with the HLCC UK (Home Laundry Care Council) guide which I still subscribe to, programmes:
2 (60d hot white /lights wash, rinses, fast spin)
5 (40d warm wash for darks, rinses & fast spin) and
7 (woollens, handwash, gentle action 40d, high rinses and controlled spin)

I think "Cloudwash" offers simplicity with the best of features such as "That Washer Needs To Finish before The Next Parent Taxi Run" which is what you hear the most from todays mums and laundry users!!

But for me thats why I like Servis Quartz washing machines, 9 simple programmes on a LED programmer which corresponds to the 9 ITCL (International Textile Care Labels) of the day - first launched from 1976!!

Nowthen - I wonder if I could plug the cloudwash App into the Quartz?

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bergcloud.com

 

[mrb627]

No. Just no.

I am sure that people said the same thing about

1) atm cards
2) automatic washers
3) mobile phones
4) automatic dishwashers
5) automatic transmissions
6) microwave ovens
7) ...

Malcolm

 

[l86810]

Our hobby doesn't generally get much attention, so I think anyone investing their career, time and money into it should be applauded... it's a shame that's rejected by so many.

If that guy were to see this I'd imagine he'd feel quite unwelcome in our community.

If it weren't for these forward thinking individuals we would't have the machines we have today, or even the ones we had back in the 60's and 80's. During their time they were the front of new technology.

It's not for sale, your not being forced to replace your current models with it... It's just one mans concept, and I like it. I already have a machine I like so I wouldn't rush out to replace it, but I think its an interesting take from an outsider and a techy, on where things might be going. Good for him!

 

[NYCWriter]

The problem is ...

... yet another potential abuse of *data* about our personal lives.

If it's in "the cloud" or out in cyberspace, it's accessible to anyone.

I don't need "anyone" knowing what I'm washing, HOW I'm washing, or when I'm washing.

Why would it make a difference, you might ask? What's there to hide?

Plenty. Aside from the obvious TIMINGS (when I am and am not at home), it wouldn't be a huge leap to foresee a world in which "the government" monitors our water usage, and whether or not we're using "approved" detergents.

 

[dascot]

It's not about making anyone "welcome" in the community or not - any idea that is created will have those in favour and those against. Some will succeed and many won't - look at James Dyson for example, and compare to the inventors of the Monotub. One is everywhere, the others not. If this guy sees comments and is unhappy, he can either take it to heart or he can brush it off. He can enter into conversation with people to find out what they like/dislike about the ideas. That's part of doing his job.

For me, it seems an unnecessary use of technology. I can't see any reason why a washing machine should need to be connected. I'm perfectly capable of going to the shop and buying detergent/softener when I need to, I've educated myself on how best to do the laundry and I don't want a machine that thinks it knows better. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

[cornutt]

A lot of this is about trying to build the machines cheaper. Wireless adaptors are now cheaper than user interface controls, so if they can eliminate the UI from the washer itself (except for maybe a stop button) and make you use your phone to control it, the machine is a bit cheaper to build.

If done right, this could actually be sort of cool. Imagine an app that lets you program your own cycles and download them to the machine.

 

[henene4]

Look closley my friends!

The video says way more than the article. It is linked in the bottom of the page or you just search for Berg washing machine on YT.
This video really explains all the ideas of that washer!
First: They thought about the UI quite a lot. They thought about both ways: Full UI with all options for both (aka a touch screen on your washer) or reducing it down to the minimum (aka just a Start/Stop button). And so they got to this version: 3 cycles you can preprogramm to which you use the most, a time managing system (set end time) and the buttons. And these buttons for detergent and softner either open you y web page you desire to order your detergent/softner from OR just add a reminder on to you shopping list on your Smartphone. The rest including all standard cycles and options are on the app. Further, it can notify you when the cycle finished. Or, lets say you started a cycle and went shopping, but you know you will be comming home later, the app can tell the washer to do a rinse hold. Or, it will notify you if something goes wrong. But all this notifying can be stopped by the push of a button. There is a feature to book time if for example you life with some friends and want to do your laubdry at a certain time.
And on the topic of this data: Who the hell would want to hack your washer and cause damage??? How anyway? If there is any thought about saftey, the washer has a secured transmission way. I mean, you got a password for your Wifi, you got ways to do online bancking safely, why should not a simple washer be abled to use a https connection/ a protected server to transmit your data? And if somebody hacks you, all they may see which cycles you use and what you have linked to the buttons. Maybe when you are doing laundry. But there is way more important data that is avaible way easyier. And if someone wants to get your data, they'll get your data. And I am sure they already have it. Are you part of any cashback system (like it is Payback) here in Germany? They know what you buy. Do you have phone service? They know who you call. Do you have Internet? They know you are active here and can dead how you wash you laundry. It is a fact: You can't protect your data 100% safley. If they want to get it, they get it.

 

[rapunzel]

When I look all I see is people being distracted with apps for this, that and the other. So much time is spent with info technology nowadays and it doesn't make life easier or bring people closer together at all. That's the general misconception about this techonology. Everyone is scurrying around multi-tasking with their I-pads and I-phones, twittering, tweeting rubbish and being bombarded with mostly useless information. Does it make people more learned, more intelligent, better decision makers, more efficient or better human beings alround? I don't think so. Will it really make my life easier if I now have to take messages from my dryer, washer, fridge? As if I haven't already enough to worry about communicating with people.

It is more useless rubbish that doesn't solve the real challenges that we are still grappling with as a species or in our every day lives. It creates another contrived dependency, another must have thing to while away life with meaningless shite. Most importantly it is intrusive as it allows third parties to see what we get up to in our personal sphere.

Responding to Malcolm's post I'd like to say that ATM cards are actually a pain in the arse for many reasons.

Automatic transmissions don't data mine and compel people to spend countless hours playing silly computer games when they should be looking after their kids or exercise their minds and bodies doing something more useful.

Micrwave ovens - as convenient as they are I do wonder if they don't alter the molecular structure of our foods and contribute to increased cases of bowel and stomach cancer.

There is strong scientific evidence that excessive mobile phone use causes brain cancer - but what can you do when even brain surgeons use them?

 

[henene4]

And their we got it!

People talking about stuff they can't know! Look at what a microwave as it self is: It is just a wave in matter. As well is sound, and the wave in a ocean. The only difference is their wavelength and thus energy. Sound can move objects. And microwaves move or vibrate water atoms. It is the same as you shaking whatever: you transfer energy. You shake the something, the microwaves shake the water-atoms.
Sorry for that, but all this "OMG Microwaves are bad" annoys me.

 

[washer111]

@henene4 - People talking about stuff they don't know

I wouldn't be so quick to discount Rapunzel's statements - after all, they technically haven't been proven true OR false at this point in time, As far as I know. Theoretically, vibrating water with 2.4GHz micro-waves shouldn't make a difference, but it could do so, enough that only people with "the bad genes" are affected. 

 

You should also be careful about what you say regarding hackers. Remember they are people who either do things to annoy people because they don't have a life, or because getting their life-savings will make them rich. 

Wi-Fi is actually VERY in-secure, depending on the method used to secure it (I'm looking at you WEP!).

Online Banking is VERY insecure - since people who hack into the servers can act as "man in the middle" seeing what you see, before you see it, and meddling with your data.

They can also hack your "secure" connection, with credentials akin to the security certificate. 

And of course, if you have a virus on your computer, then any "secure connections" are just a load of crap, since those programs watch what you are doing, then phone home via a different connection. 

 

There a probably many other ways of hacking into technology. Just because you don't think they have business on an automatic washer, doesn't mean they won't come. Its like saying the Titanic was "unsinkable."

And remember, if you need a secure connection, then you need code that supports that. That code is never 100% perfect, and thus requires updates, or else risk being hacked. The base code of the washer might be inherently insecure or buggy, too. More places to "get in."

 

[rapunzel]

"People talking about stuff they can't know!"

People can know, but do they want to know? Especially when there is a lot of money involved and when everyone else is doing it (whatever it is). Humans are a bit like Lemmings when it comes to that pack mentality. If it seems like a good idea to jump off a cliff, because everyone else is doing it, there are enough more or less intelligent people who will jump without question. After all we are nothing more than hairless primates driven by instincts, impulses and hormones.

 

[henene4]

The only thing affected by microwaves are dippl-molecules (hope thats the right expression), in this case, the most common, water. Now, as we know (or at least me), radiated material (even if microwaves would be something closley like radioactiv radiation) does not turn into a radiator it self. So the water would need vibrate so violently to collide with other particles that hard that it chances their structure. And this would need to happen in such an incident that de get a cancer affecting substance that is invisible and not recognizable at all.
And on the topic of Internet security: Everything is hackable. But who would do the still hard work?

 

[murando531]

I think the most threatening issue here is "choice". There are too many cases in life where we are forced into things just because the government mandates it, or because the majority of others do it. The underlying truth is that 90% of the population couldn't give less of a care how their appliances work or how to use them properly, because they see *chores* as exactly that: unpleasant work that takes away from their free time. But to us, if anyone here is like me, the time to do laundry and dishes, and really anything that requires using a complex machine, is exciting because you get watch the amazing engineering that was put into making a washing machine perform so many different movements and tasks completely on its own, or creating the hurricane (or water sprinkler, if that's the kind of machine you prefer) that happens behind the sealed door of a dishwasher. Making the control panel of a washing machine as simple as possible, with a start button and barely more, and requiring that the more complex settings be done on a separate device may be fine for most people, but to me the panel is what gives the machine character, and makes it more exciting than just a boring white cabinet. I would be perfectly fine with HE machines that use a teaspoon of cold water, and have internet connection, and allow control from a mobile device, IF I had the OPTION of choosing whether I want to use those things or not. If I want the machine to do a deep wash and rinse, filling to the top of the basket, and use true hot water, and completely disable any connection to anything besides water and power, and still have a control board with every option and knob/button available, I as a paying consumer should have the control to do so. If I want to pay for the extra energy/water bill because of it, that's my business. That just isn't the case these days though, because a person has to jump through hoops in the form of tweaking (or rather having to break) something in the mechanics, or removing restrictor valves, or tricking the machine in some way just to get the results we need, all because that 90% of common society bought those machines because they were state-of-the-art and shiny, not caring how well it works or performs, and the manufacturers decide that because everyone "jumped off that cliff", it might as well be the new standard trend, and that there is no point in spending money on other alternatives for the minority that complained about the new product.

Point of the rant: New and innovative is fine in my book, but only if I have the choice to continue to do things the "old" way, and in my own time try the new way and decide whether or not it really is for the better.

 

[murando531]

And as far has hacking, anything connected to your home's network becomes a potential gateway, no matter how insignificant. Phones, tablets, computers, TVs, printers, even a clock-radio with WiFi. There was an article not long ago about the Nest thermostat containing the same vulnerable bug that was associated with the Heartbleed virus. I mean, it's just a thermostat right? But it's connected to everything else your network touches, it only takes someone smart enough to know how to use those bridges. A computer, regardless of how small or what appliance it's in, is still a computer.

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www.wired.com

 

[tolivac]

Be that as it may--I am keeping my appliances for the most part off the "cloud"Just too much that could possibly happen.
Microwaves---they are part of the energy spectrum-radio frequency energy-your cell phone operates on a similar frequency as your microwave-they are far enough apart so they do not interfere.Radio frequency radiation is non inonizing-it does not alter cell structures.It causes heating by vibrating,or agitating the cells.Its like your doctor using a diathermy machine on you.Even lower frequency FM and TV frequencies do cause body or tissue heating.The higher bands of Short wave can cause it-after all some diathermy machines run at frequencies around 10Mhz.I repaired one of those once--its oscillator was simply two 6146 tubes in a push pull oscillator circuit.Put the probe on my arm-and felt it warming.Then turned it off.Don't think that diathermy machine would do well in cooking your food.By the way those popcorn popping videos on YouTube with cell phones are fake.A cell phone can't generate that kind of power.If it did would not meet safety regs.You would not be able to use it without burns.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

I agree with Malcom. Just, no. All the items on his list:

1) atm cards
2) automatic washers
3) mobile phones
4) automatic dishwashers
5) automatic transmissions
6) microwave ovens

have enabled us to do chores more quickly, more efficiently, or with less effort. If not for all of us, then they do for at least a sizable portion of the population.

Call me a Luddite, but I just don't see how a cloud connected washer does this.

On the flip side, if a cloud connected washer actually DOES make doing laundry easier of a sizable portion of the population, then I'm kind of forced to conclude that the average person has fewer properly firing neurons I'd thought.....and trust me, that wasn't very many to begin with.

I know I don't have the normal amount of sheeple genes; maybe that's why I just don't get this?

 

[NYCWriter]

"non-ionizing radiation" propaganda ...

According to the World Health Organization:

"Up to 10% of invasive cancers are related to radiation exposure, including both ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. Additionally, the vast majority of non-invasive cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers caused by non-ionizing ultraviolet radiation."

 

[henene4]

Thats true...

... but you are hit by UV-light each and every second. But UV-light has a way different wave length, thus, has more energy. And you are directly radiated. You don't take a magnetron out of a microwave and power it up beside you hours and hours. People working with radio equipment are a cancer risk group. But if a microwave would leak its radiation, it would not be allowed to be sold. And as long you don't get exposed to radiation, there is simply no danger at all.

 

[NYCWriter]

"There is simply no danger at all" ...

That's what they said about iridium back in the '20s.

And lobotomies in the '30s.

And asbestos in the '40s.

And DDT in the '50s (children frolicked in clouds of the stuff!)

And Thalidomide in the '60s.

And hydrogenated oils in the '70s.

And Thimerosol in the '80s.

And Vioxx in the '90s.

And what they're telling us (in America) about fluoride in the water today.