Oh, the dreaded delicate clothing, which we all put off and don’t want to do! Unlike our rough and tough jeans, one mistake and we could end up with faded, three sizes smaller clothes, or even shredded garments. To help with our laundry woes, Swiss engineering lab MPI Ultrasonics has come up with Dolfi, a pocket sized device that makes laundering your hand washables a hands-free job.
Dolfi could possibly make this chore effortless for homebodies and travellers alike. In fact, Dolfi might be the world’s smallest and gentlest washing device. All you have to do is get a bowl of water, detergent, and a power outlet. Just plug in the device, switch it on, and drop it in a bowl of clothing and soap soup. Dolfi founder, Lena Solis says that ‘after a few terrible experiences with trying to do laundry while traveling she became inspired by the amazing benefits of ultrasound.’ Andre Fangueiro, Dolfi’s designer, claims that the device will save users time, money, and the stress of doing laundry.
Ultrasonic technology is used in a variety of products, such as humidifiers and skin care devices. Upon activating the collapse of gas-filled pockets by the millions in a soiled item’s surface, tiny jets of gas escape from an object, allowing nearby dirt to detach. This method has been used for cleaning jewellery, glasses, and watches, dental and surgical instruments. Dolfi is also up to 80 times more energy-efficient than traditional washing machines.
The device will be available for Indiegogo supporters for $89. It has been named as ‘Dolfi’ in honor of the beautiful mammal – the dolphin – ‘the most advanced users of ultrasound and one of the most intelligent animals on our planet.’ A portion of the campaign will go towards dolphin research and welfare. So would you buy one?