PARIS, Dec 27 — Washing the dishes is a tedious chore for most of us. But a solution may have arrived — in the form of the self-cleaning plate.
It might sound too good to be true, but thanks to Swedish design duo Tomorrow Machine and research company Innventia, a prototype dishware range including a plate and a cup has been developed as part of the futuristic project ‘Ekoportal 2035'.
The items are made from cellulose coated in a super-hydrophobic coating which rejects liquid molecules.
‘Cleaning' the plate therefore requires no more effort than simply tipping it sideways and watching all the waste slide off.
The design was inspired by the lotus leaf, which rejects liquids in a molecular state in a similar fashion.
The design team was asked by the Swedish Forest Industries Federation (SkogsIndustrierna) to make three different products for the year 2035.
The cellulose hardens in a similar fashion to ceramic, making it shatter-proof. The material used is currently awaiting approval for use with food, but hopefully one day in the future washing up will be a thing of the past.
Additional items in the Ekoportal 2035 collection include 3D printable plastic objects and a transparent touch screen made from nano-cellulose that can be used to take photographs. — AFP Relaxnews
