How hi-tech appliances meet the demands of fast-paced urbanites
Increasingly sophisticated devices raise the quality of home living
Household appliances are becoming more sophisticated as manufacturers tailor new products to meet discerning consumers’ fast-changing needs.
Few people relish the prospect of doing household chores after a long day, so who wouldn’t want a “robotic” vacuum cleaner doing that job while you are at work, which can be controlled and monitored via an app on your smartphone?
The compact Dyson 360 Eye, created by British inventor James Dyson’s eponymous company, does its job thanks to a top-mounted, live-vision camera offering 360-degree views. It continuously photographs a room as it moves and recognises furniture and other big objects while using mapping software to create a 360-degree image of its surroundings. It can triangulate its position within a room and knows where it has cleaned.
The 360 Eye travels on mini tank-tracks over hard floors and carpets, stops when it senses a drop ahead, such as stairs, and returns to the charging station to charge by itself.
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The versatile, cord-free Dyson V8 Absolute+ vacuum cleaner also makes light work of cleaning. It is able to remove pollutants and allergens, which settle as fine dust on surfaces in the home. It features a changeable, soft roller cleaner head, with rows of anti-static carbon-fibre filaments for collecting fine dust and large debris, plus a second, powerful, direct-drive cleaner head, which can pick up ground-in dirt from carpets. A special “max power” function allows seven minutes of higher suction for the most difficult tasks.
Its long handle can reach up to clean in the corners of ceilings, or it can transform into a small, hand-held device for quick, spot cleaning. It offers up to 40 minutes of fade-free suction between charges.
Doing the laundry is also getting more sophisticated and efficient. Swiss manufacturer V-Zug says its latest “intelligent” Adora washing machine and dryers all help to conserve energy. Its top-of-the-range washing machine features a programme that will save up to 55 per cent more energy than a conventional washing machine.