Xeros Washing Machine Uses Beads To Clean Clothes

We've seen environmentally friendly washing machines in the past, such as the HydroDrive with a 12-minute cycle. Xeros has taken the wraps off its own similarly-efficient offering, except with one big difference: the use of polymer beads largely in the place of water that results in a far more efficient and green way to wash clothes.

By their nature, washing machines use a lot of water — newer ones are designed to use less water, but their footprint is still higher than it could be. Based on 30 years of research, Xeros is taking aim at that issue with a washing machine that utilizes much less water, replacing the difference with reusable polymer beads that target the dirt in clothes.

It's a hard notion to wrap one's head around, that small beads flinging around in the washing machine can clean clothes as well (and, reportedly, better in certain instances) than a drum full of hot water and a bunch of detergent, but the video above indicates the opposite. The washing machine was developed by University of Leeds' Stephen Burkinshaw, and results in a savings of 72-percent in water usage and 47-percent in electricity.

Less one think this is one of those interesting-yet-destined-for-obscurity inventions, take note: the washing machine is already in use by some big commercial companies, such as hotels and gyms that have high laundry loads. If all goes as planned, the technology will also be available to the average consumer in the next handful of years.

SOURCE: Geekosystem