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The Fifty-Year Dream: Japan's Enduring Quest for the Human Washing Machine

Japan's dream of a human washing machine, first seen at the 1970 Osaka Expo with Sanyo's 'Ultrasonic Bath,' is being revived. A new AI-powered version using fine bubble technology aims for a 2025 release, initially targeting the nursing care industry.

The Fifty-Year Dream: Japan's Enduring Quest for the Human Washing Machine

The idea sounds like a relic from a pulp science fiction magazine: a machine that automatically washes, massages, and dries a human being. Yet, for over half a century, this concept has been a tangible, if elusive, technological pursuit in Japan. It’s a story that begins not in a novelist's imagination, but at the dazzling 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, a showcase of futuristic ambitions.

A Glimpse of the Future at Expo '70

Among the marvels presented to the world at Expo '70 was a creation by Sanyo Electric called the Ultrasonic Bath. Housed in a gleaming, egg-shaped pod, it promised a complete bathing experience in just 15 minutes. The process was a masterpiece of automated efficiency: a five-minute pre-rinse, a three-minute wash cycle using ultrasonic waves to generate massaging bubbles, a two-minute rinse, and finally, a five-minute drying session with warm air and infrared lights. For a world on the cusp of a new technological age, it seemed like the bathroom of tomorrow had arrived.

Despite the international buzz, Sanyo's human washing machine never entered mass production. The company concluded that the very efficiency it offered was its undoing. For many, the traditional bath was not a chore to be automated but a cherished ritual of relaxation and pleasure. The world, it seemed, was not yet ready to trade the slow comfort of a hot bath for the cold efficiency of a machine.

The Dream Reimagined: Technology with a Human Touch

Decades later, the dream is being revived, but with a profoundly different purpose. Osaka-based firm Science Co. Ltd. is developing a modern successor, aptly named Project Usoyaro, a playful name that translates loosely to "Project Fib." This new iteration aims to perfect the concept with the latest technology, moving far beyond simple automation.

The new machine will utilize “fine bubble technology” to clean the body, but its true innovation lies in its intelligence. It is being designed with an array of sensors to monitor the user's physical and mental state, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. An integrated AI will then analyze this data to tailor the experience, creating the most comfortable and relaxing atmosphere possible. This is not just a washer; it's a personalized wellness device.

Perhaps the most telling shift is the target audience. Instead of appealing to busy individuals looking to save time, Science Co. is aiming its product, set for a 2025 release, at the nursing care industry. In a country with a rapidly aging population, the physical strain of bathing elderly or disabled individuals is a significant challenge for caregivers. The automated bath offers a solution that provides dignity for the user and relief for the caregiver. For Yasuaki Aoyama, the company's chairman, the project is personal; he was one of the children who gazed in wonder at Sanyo's machine back in 1970, and the memory sparked his ambition to finally bring the concept to life.

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