Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo

Soon, you could have a pod that washes your body for you in your home bathroom.

When you straight-up name your organization “Science,” you’d better be prepared to make some pretty high-tech things, and the Osaka-based bathroom fixture company did just that when they created the Mirai Ningen Sentakki, which translates to “Future Human washing Machine.” Officially dubbed the “Human Washer in the Future” in English, it’s a 2.3-meter (7.5-foot) long pod in which you lie down, close the lid, and lay back and relax while the machine washes you like a piece of laundry, minus the spin cycle.

It’s exactly the sort of unbridled, pie-in-the-sky creativity that visitors to the Expo 2025 world’s fair in Osaka wanted to see, and following the immensely satisfied response, last month Science announced that its human washing machines would be coming to hotels…and now comes the follow-up that they’re coming to homes, too, as the machines will also be offered for sale to the general public, and through one of Japan’s major home electronics stores.

Starting next month, a Mirai Ningen Sentakki will be on display at electronics retailer Labi’s Ikebukuro Main Branch in downtown Tokyo. Visitors won’t just be able to look at this piece of sci-fi-style tech, but they’ll be able to try it out, too, as demonstrations will be offered, though as at Expo 2025, participants will probably be asked to wear bathing suits, not hop in nude like they would when actually using it to bathe. The full cycle takes about 15 minutes, during which the human washing machine also plays a series of relaxing images and tranquil music pieces. As the pod’s nozzles spray soap and water to wash and rinse the occupant, it also performs biometric scans to gauge their health, so the washing is just one service the machine performs.

This obviously isn’t going to be a budget upgrade pitched to cost-conscious consumers, and Labi’s parent company Yamada Holdings is estimating a price tag of somewhere around 60 million yen (US$400,000), and it’s unclear whether or not that includes shipping and installation. The demonstration/trial at Labi, however, appears to be free (though reservations will likely be required), so there’s still a way to experience the Human Washer in the Future in the present without deep pockets or a time machine of your own.

The Mirai Ningen Sentakki is scheduled to go on display from December 25.

Source: Jiji via Yahoo! Japan News
Top image: PR Times
Insert image: PR Times
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