Students have developed a pedal-powered
washing machine, named the bicilavadora.
Students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US have developed a
washing machine that works off pedal power.
Named the bicilavadora, the gadget has been invented for use in third world countries, where electricity is unreliable or scarce.
Made from bicycle parts and empty barrels, the gadget has been under development for four years.
A prototype was taken by students from the institute to Peru, where kids from an orphanage near the country's capital Lima tested it out.
"Many of the children would watch us work, ask us questions at the same time or try to help us by holding things, or handing us tools while we built it," Lisa Tacoronte, a member of the project, said.
Noting the basic design was "well proven out", the students noted there was some leakage round the edges of the barrel, which could cause rust.
However, an updated version will be developed, they added.
If you want a new
washing machine, a good way to decide on a model is to check energy ratings. Each appliance will have been rated from A to G depending on how efficient it is.