The ambit of smarthomes will welcome a new member to its fold, in the form of Whirlpool’s Smart Top Load washing machine. To be showcased in CES 2015, the advanced contraption will come with its touchscreen display, smartphone regulation and simpler interface. However, the ‘piece de resistance’ of the smart washer and dryer arguably pertains to its connectivity feature with a Nest thermostat – for an efficient cycle of cleaning clothes.
To that end, the washing machine can remotely connect with a Nest thermostat, which is already active via its WiFi credentials. This becomes advantageous to the user, since the thermostat can comprehend when you are inside your house or when you are out. This in turn allows the gizmo to communicate with the Smart Top Load washer, and make it automatically switch to a low-energy EcoBoost mode (when you are out of your house). And even when you return, the machine would continue with its quiet mode that allows you to relax without getting too worried about the heap of clothes.
This is complemented by Nest’s Rush Hour Rewards program – which can regulate the cycle of washing depending on the phases of high-energy demand. In other words, it can save your energy bills by giving respite to the cleaning cycles when there is load on the power grid due to activation of other home devices.
The Nest-based benefits are accompanied by a slew of other handy features, including the aforementioned touchscreen display that boasts of an easier UI. How so? Well, the terminology used by the screen is far simpler with phrases related directly to clothing types (like bed-sheets or hand-wash fabrics), as opposed to obscure washing procedures. Furthermore, you can customize your very own wash cycle by using a dedicated smartphone app that connects to the smart washer.
Finally, coming to the commercial scheme of things, Whirlpool’s Smart Top Load washing machine is expected to make its retail debut by spring of this year.
Via: TechHive
