Showerhead manufacturer in Osaka, Science Co., has developed an advanced “washing machine” called the “Mirai Ningen Sentakuki” (Human Washing Machine of the Future).
At the Osaka Kansai Expo in 1970, the Japanese technology giant Sanyo Electric Co., now known as Panasonic Holdings Corp., unveiled the world’s first human washing machine. Its egg-shaped design and futuristic bubble technology captured the imagination of many.
The washing machine displayed at the exhibition in Japan.
Yasuaki Aoyama was one of the many who witnessed Sanyo’s washing machine in action. At that time, he was just a curious fourth-grade student. That sense of wonder has stayed with him into adulthood, and now, as the president of Science Co. – a company specializing in bathtubs and showers, Aoyama is preparing to launch his own modern human washing machine.
Aoyama recently told Japanese reporters: “We will provide a human washing machine as a legacy from the 1970 expo”, adding that the updated model will be introduced at the Osaka Kansai Expo in April 2025.
The first human washing machine utilized ultrasonic waves generated by large air bubbles to clean users and released plastic balls as a means of massage.
In contrast, the Mirai Ningen Sentakuki uses extremely small air bubbles, which are significantly more effective at cleansing the body. The machine is also equipped with modern sensors that measure the user’s heartbeat and other biological data to warm the water to a suitable temperature, along with an AI system that determines whether the user is calm or excited, projecting images onto the machine’s transparent coating to set the right mood.
The company states that this cockpit-shaped device will pour in a portion of hot water when the user sits in the central seat, after which millions of tiny bubbles will be released to cleanse the user’s body. Yasuaki Aoyama mentioned that his company hopes to allow up to 1,000 people to use this innovative machine at the upcoming Osaka Expo next year.
Science Co. has been researching the human washing machine for several years. Oddity Central first wrote about this product in 2022. Although the design of the original prototype has changed significantly, it is noteworthy that the company still adheres to its initial launch goal of 2025.
