Designer pitches game arcade laundry
Suds'n'frags
One bright student has decided to merge his love of videogames with the task of laundry, creating a hybrid machine that puts a new spin on household chores.
Kingston University design student Lee Wei Chen realises playing videogames is far from productive. So in order to get kids helping around the house, he came up with this idea: a washing machine that doubles up as an arcade-style games console, DesignWeek reports.
The two are intertwined, with the washing cycle set according to how well the game is played, the 27-year-old designer suggested. Those with a lack of skills might be there for a while, dropping endless coins in a bid to keep their clothes going round.
The amusement washing machine is on show with other concepts at the London Design Festival at Tent, the Truman Brewery from 22-25 September. ®
COMMENTS
My mate used to live in a flat that had a cybercafe underneath on once side and a launderette on the other.
There was a chip shop and an off-license over the road, too. I'm still amazed he ever moved.
I can't even play games i nth same room as a washing machine on its spin cycle, shakes my whole flat. Trying to play a game atop one.. foolhardy.
If the large wheel adds energy to the drum (erducing electiricty use and giving it some force-feedback) then.. ah who am I kidding, the benefit is all but eliminated by the computer behind it and the fact it's stupid so nobody would play it anyway.
But still, I like the R2D2 styling and the mad-as-shit thinking. Keep mixing shit together and you may end up with a winner.
Au contraire, I think it looks a bit rubbish (both the concept and the contraption he's designed).
I was hoping it was going to be a laundry where you take your dirty clothes and instead of sitting there reading old newspapers and rubbish magazines whilst your clothes go round and round and round, you could instead spend 2 hours playing video games. Personally I'd prefer the retro arcade machines such as Sega's Virtua Racing, Outrun, Operation Wolf, Street Fighter II, etc...
I'd gladly go to a laundry that offered a service such as this, even though I've got my own washing machine at home.
