MIT Solve

Solution overview

Our Solution

Smart Green Washer

Tagline

Sorting microfiber generated by washing clothes to be reused for textile companies or plastic lumber and prevent them going to the oceans.

Pitch us on your solution

16853_2019_04_23_10_25_09_20160606112001961_1440x810.png

Synthetic fabrics, from which 60% of all clothing on earth is made, have a big hidden problem: when they’re washed, they release tiny plastic bits called microfibers that flow down our drains, through water treatment plants and out into our rivers, lakes and oceans by the billions.

Filtration of microfiber from the wastewater can be achieved by integrating heater with washing machine. After enduser washes cloth there will be wastewater containing microfiber. The wastewater will be directed to heating chamber. When the heater is activated the water will evaporate and the microfiber will remain in the chamber since microfiber doesn't evaporate. The evaporated water will be directed into a small tank for condensation which is used for reuse. Then after some interval, the microfiber can be collected to be sold to clothing manufacturing companies to be recycled and percentage of this lint can be used to make plastic lumber.

https://contest.techbriefs.com...

Film your elevator pitch

What is the problem you are solving?

16852_2019_04_23_10_25_09_microfibers1200x627_1440x810.png

Most of us wear synthetic fabrics like polyester every day. Our dress shirts, yoga pants, fleeces, and even underwear are all increasingly made of synthetic materials plastic, in fact. But these synthetic fabrics, from which 60% of all clothing on earth is made, have a big hidden problem: when they’re washed, they release tiny plastic bits called microfibers that flow down our drains, through water treatment plants, and out into our rivers, lakes and oceans by the billions.

Approx. 2 out of 7 people in the world have access to washing machines. This means if we can manage to install this mechanism in every washing machine we can save a massive amount of microfiber entering into the oceans. This is a very big amount of microfiber because there will be at least more than 700,000 microscopic fibres could be released into wastewater during each use of a domestic washing machine, with many of them likely to pass through sewage treatment and into the environment, according to new research. So, imagine the total. This will assist in making our oceans clean of microfiber.

https://conservationx.com/proj...

Who are you serving?

The market will be global because it impacts on improvement of aquatic food safety all over the world, assist in recycling of micro fibers which the world has not done much progress on, add value to washing machine end users on gaining benefit when washing their cloth, increase the standard of washing machines towards green technology for washing machine manufacturers and percentage of this lint can be used to make plastic lumber.

Just over 100 million tonnes of fish are eaten worldwide each year, providing two and a half billion people with at least 20 percent of their average per capita animal protein intake. This is very large numbers and that means all those people are in the risk of health caused by consuming micro fibers in their systems. So, this project has strong market potential.

The end users are owners of washing machine device all over the world. The end customers could be household, hotels, clothing manufacturing companies, cloth laundry business and so on that use washer to clean clothes.

https://www.herox.com/plastika...

What is your solution?

Filtration or separation of microfiber from the wastewater can be achieved by integrating a heater with a washing machine. After the end-user washes the cloth there will be wastewater containing microfiber. The wastewater will be directed to a heating chamber. When the heater is activated the water will evaporate and the microfiber will remain in the chamber since microfiber does not evaporate. Meaning water boils at 100°C and the temperature must reach from 570 up to 600°C before wool will be affected; while polyester melts at 252–292°C and nylon at 160–260°C, wool never melts so it can't stick to the container. The evaporated water will be directed into a small tank for condensation. Condensation occurs when the water vapor in the container is cooled, changing from a gas to a liquid. This process can take place at various temperatures between 0 and 100°C. This water will be used for reuse since the condensed water is clean. Then after some interval, the microfiber can be collected to be sold to clothing manufacturing companies to be recycled and reused. The percentage of this lint can also be used to make plastic lumber.

As seen in the above figure the red part is the heater and the green is the small tank that will hold the condensed water. There will be non-returnable valves in preheating and after heating pipes so that the water does nor return into washing chamber and heater respectively.

Note that the mechanism will also sort micro plastics found on cleaning detergents or soaps. The world is pushing the idea of no micro plastic in soaps and this will assist in this green movement.

Currently the mechanism has been tested and showed successful results I have tested the mechanism by mixing micro fibers with water and boiling up the water with home stove and home tools, the water evaporated and the micro fibers remain in the container. This confirms that my design works 100 percent.

https://contest.techbriefs.com...

https://conservationx.com/proj...

https://www.herox.com/plastika...

https://www.globalinnovationex...

Select only the most relevant.

Increase production of renewable and recyclable raw materials for products and packaging
Design and produce mass-market clothing and apparel through circular processes

Where is your solution team headquartered?

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Our solution's stage of development:

Prototype

More about your solution

Select one of the below:

New application of an existing technology

Describe what makes your solution innovative.

This devices follows existing principle of property of water and clothing fabrics. So far no one has thought of combining heating mechanism with washing machines to tackle the microfiber problem of the world. This existing mechanism will increase the reliability of the mechanism. There is no one who has similar product to mine so this is new innovation to the world. There is a technology called Cora ball but it is not it is not as effective as this mechanism capturing all the microfibers in a single wash because as you know there can be minimum of 700,000 tiny microfibres in a single wash. This mechanism can sort microfiber 100%.

When the device reaches at its best technology it will have an automatic sensor that starts its system when water is being feed to it and automated disposing mechanism of the microfiber and AI to detect when to collect the microfibers when they reach some amount of volume.

In addition according to UpGyres this technology will be first of its kind because there is no technology that will convert or collect microfibers from washing machine to be reused. This technology also be used for input for plastic lumber.

So, not only my project prevent micro fibers from entering in to the oceans, it will also act as beginning to a new industry.

Describe the core technology that your solution utilizes.

My solution is a new application of an existing technology which is property of water. Water boils at 100°C and the temperature must reach 570–600°C before wool will be affected; while polyester melts at 252–292°C and nylon at 160–260°C, wool never melts so it can't stick to the container. Meaning any material that is boiled with the waste water will not be affected. And this temperature can be achieved by home use electrical heating devices.

Filtration of microfiber from the wastewater can be achieved by integrating a heater with a washing machine. After the end-user washes the cloth there will be wastewater containing microfiber. The wastewater will be directed to a heating chamber. When the heater is activated the water will evaporate and the microfiber will remain in the chamber since microfiber does not evaporate. The evaporated water will be directed into a small tank for condensation. Condensation occurs when the water vapor in the container is cooled, changing from a gas to a liquid. This process can take place at various temperatures between 0 and 100°C. This water will be used for reuse. Then after some interval, the microfiber can be collected to be sold to clothing manufacturing companies to be recycled and reused. The percentage of this lint can be used to make plastic lumber.

You can see comments of this project from the Digital maker space at conservation x labs via the link https://conservationx.com/lab/...

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

Machine Learning
Biomimicry

Why do you expect your solution to address the problem?

There are many critical selling points for this product to end users but the main selling point for end users is buying this product is not an additional cost but a means to get income when the end user washes cloth. The end users can sell the separated microfiber based on their weight to textile companies and cloth manufacturing companies and percentage of this lint can be used to make plastic lumber. And they will gain cash profit from washing their clothes. The second selling points for the end user is water saving resulting in lower waster expense. This is because since the separation of the microfiber and waste waster involves in converting the wastewater into water vapour, this process can act as water filtration to be used for other purposes. The third selling point is that by using this product end users are preventing micro fibers enters into the oceans that will be eaten by the fishes which end up in their plate at the end. The other selling points are end users feel responsible for the preservation of the oceans and the natural world, modernization and upgrading way of life and so on.

This project is a finalist in the TKF PLASTICS INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2019 (https://platform.younoodle.com...) AS SEEN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURE!

Select the key characteristics of the population your solution serves.

Women & Girls
Pregnant Women
LGBTQ+
Children and Adolescents
Infants
Elderly
Rural Residents
Peri-Urban Residents
Very Poor/Poor
Low-Income
Middle-Income
Minorities/Previously Excluded Populations
Refugees/Internally Displaced Persons
Persons with Disabilities

In which countries do you currently operate?

Ethiopia
United States

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

Ethiopia
United States

How many people are you currently serving with your solution? How many will you be serving in one year? How about in five years?

This project will affect or serve in global scale. That means there are around 7.3 billion peoples in the world and approx. 2 out of 7 people in the world have access to washing machines. So, this machine will prevent all the micro fibers that will enter in to the oceans.

Just over 100 million tonnes of fish are eaten worldwide each year, providing two and a half billion people with at least 20 percent of their average per capita animal protein intake. This is very large numbers and that means all those people are in the risk of health caused by consuming micro fibers in their systems. So, this project has strong market potential.

Currently the mechanism has been tested and showed successful results I have tested the mechanism by mixing micro fibers with water and boiling up the water with home stove and home tools, the water evaporated and the micro fibers remain in the container. This confirms that my design works 100 percent.

So, currently since I have not enters into market meaning 0 impact so far. In one year assuming I get all the support from solve the impact will be in millions. And in five years this project will serve on billions scale.

What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?

The key element for successful marketing is a successful prototype. So the first step is building the prototype. To build the prototype and show my invention to the world, I applied in many innovation platforms. The project has been accepted in many sites and the link for this project are

https://contest.techbriefs.com...
https://conservationx.com/proj...

https://www.herox.com/plastika...

https://www.globalinnovationex...

But before that it is critical to test the system will work so, I tested the mechanism using home tools and it showed successful results. I have tested the mechanism by mixing micro fibers with water and boiling up the water with home stove and home tools, the water evaporated and the micro fibers remain in the container. This confirms that my design works 100 percent. After I build my prototype, the next step is advertising the product on media to find partners that will help me scale up the manufacturing scale to mass production.

If the partners are manufacturers of washing machines, that will make the process be easier because the device can be manufactured to be fixed inside the existing washing machines and I do not need to manufacture different type of sorting device for the different capacity of washing machines.

The sales, manufacturing procedures depend on my partners because as said if the current washing machine manufactures share the same interest as mine we will enter into the market together.

My goal for the next year is going to market to impact the world.

What are the barriers that currently exist for you to accomplish your goals for the next year and for the next five years?

My primary design problem which is how to meet different models and specifications in different companies and countries.

Well, the way I see it, I have two options.

1. Make some kind of arrangement with major washing machine manufacturers and make the dive assembled in every product that will be sold in the future.

2. Build different model based on the different output of wastewater which contains the micro fibers.

That is why I am working to get the attention of washer manufacturing companies by publishing the innovation in different sites like https://contest.techbriefs.com/2019/entries/electronics-sensors-iot/9471 or https://contest.techbriefs.com/profile?user=89682

The specification will determine the device sorting capacity and electric bill expense.

I have made calculation analysis using the following formula,

According to my calculations, the expense is very minor compared to the selling price of the microfiber to make plastic lumber, save the ocean and save the health of the end user from eating fishes which has microfiber in them.

How are you planning to overcome these barriers?

Currently, I have done all the ground work that is needed to make the invention successful. This include doing testing the mechanism by building a low cost system to demonstrate its efficiency, detailed design of the product for small washing machine waste waster out put, doing cost analysis, search for potential customers and data gathering on end user cost preference. The research has shown me that this product will be one of the projects that will aid on healing of our world and can generate big financial profit.

I have tested the mechanism by mixing micro fibers with water and boiling up the water with home stove and home tools, the water evaporated and the micro fibers remain in the container. This confirms that my design works 100 percent.

If your solution has a website, provide a link here:

https://contest.techbriefs.com/2019/entries/electronics-sensors-iot/9471

If your solution proposes an app that is available, provide a link to your app online or in an app store here:

https://conservationx.com/project/id/340/smartgreenwasher

About your team

Select an option below:

For-Profit

If you selected Other, please explain here.

I am not involved in any larger organization. I am an independent innovator and you can see my profile via https://www.linkedin.com/in/anteneh-gashaw-777276b9/ and https://www.facebook.com/antenh.gashaw

How many people work on your solution team?

I, Anteneh Gashaw is the only member of this project so far and that is why I am looking for investors and partners. https://contest.techbriefs.com...

For how many years have you been working on your solution?

I had this idea since the beginning of 2018 and submitted my proposal to PLASTIKA REPARABILIS CHALLENGE (https://www.herox.com/plastika-reparabilis/round/346/entry/21820) in February 02, 2019. That means I have been working for 2 years and I made my first publish in 1 year.

Why are you and your team best-placed to deliver this solution?

I have dedicated my life for invention and research because not only I have big dreams but also it is my only way out of poverty. We all have a talent we know or did not find out yet. Mine happens to be inventing. I discovered this talent of mine when I was in second year student during my university life. Starting from that point everything seemed not important except creating new ideas. So, until now I have invented more than 50 inventions which are new to the world and the rest are intended for Ethiopia that will change the life of many people including mine. But because of poverty, theft and many reasons I could not manage to make it. But all that matter is I will never give up. I will invent until and after I become successful. That makes me a strong entrepreneur. My skills are aided with a mechanical engineering degree on design, production and sales expertise. You can find some of my inventions via https://www.herox.com/crowdsou...

https://contest.techbriefs.com...

One of my best achievements are I am in the top three in NASA mechanical eye project competition.

Beside inventing I participate in many challenges like https://conservationx.com/challenge/cxtech/prize2

With what organizations are you currently partnering, if any? How are you working with them?

Currently, I do not have any partners but my project has been recognized in many sites.

https://contest.techbriefs.com/2019/entries/electronics-sensors-iot/9471

https://www.herox.com/plastika...

https://conservationx.com/proj...

https://www.globalinnovationex...

https://contest.techbriefs.com/profile?user=89682

Your business model & funding

What is your business model?

The end users are owners of washing machine device all over the world. The end customers could be household, hotels, clothing manufacturing companies, cloth laundry business and so on that use washer to clean clothes. When the end users purchase this product, it is not an additional cost but a means to get income when the end user washes cloth. The end users can sell the separated microfiber based on their weight to textile companies and cloth manufacturing companies and percentage of this lint can be used to make plastic lumber. And they will gain cash profit from washing their clothes. And since the separation of the microfiber and waste waster involves in converting the wastewater into water vapour, this process can act as water filtration of waste water to be used for other purposes.

These two compelling arguments can be immediate benefit for the end users. The other point that will attract attention of end users is by using this product end users are preventing micro fibers enters into the oceans that will be eaten by the fishes which end up in their plate at the end.

My income will be from selling the product to end users and advertisement and the price will depend on the sorting capacity of the device.

THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS USE WASHING MACHINE AND THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THERE AFTER CENTURIES SO AS MY PROJECT.

What is your path to financial sustainability?

If get funding, the funds from the award will be used on the project 100%. The funds I get will be used to manufacture a high quality prototype and advertise the prototype and note that I already tested the mechanism and it works perfect. As said from above since I have more than 50 inventions if there is any left of the funding all the money will be used to build other inventions of mine. I would like to take training on marketing on the global stage that will help me with scaling all of my projects. (https://contest.techbriefs.com...) I will use the award to get access to big investors that will help on talking on the potential partnership on more than my 50 inventions. To put it in simple words, this award will change the lives of many peoples including mine.

Partnership potential

Why are you applying to Solve?

I want solve to be part of the project as shareholder or partners from the development of the project to transition to marketing. I want solve to be my mentor and advice me on transitioning from prototype to product, create connection with potential investors and also it would be great if good folks from MIT join the project as a shareholders if interested person have something to contribute.

Beside this project which is Smart Green Washer, I have more than 50 invention which I need partners to scale up the project (https://contest.techbriefs.com...). I want solve be part of my project like the project https://contest.techbriefs.com/2019/entries/sustainable-technologies/9829 to build the prototype and propose to the current administration of the United States Of America. Also be partners or shareholder of my inventions like

https://contest.techbriefs.com...

And so many others inventions of mine.

For this particular project Solve can advance my project to marketing and connection on potential investors. I have tested the mechanism by mixing micro fibers with water and boiling up the water with home stove and home tools, the water evaporated and the micro fibers remain in the container. This confirms that my design works 100 percent.

https://contest.techbriefs.com/profile?user=89682

What types of connections and partnerships would be most catalytic for your solution?

Business model
Funding and revenue model
Legal
Monitoring and evaluation
Media and speaking opportunities
Other

If you selected Other, please explain here.

If solve is interested in this project, solve community can be a part of this project as shareholder in development and marketing as partners and provide all resource and support needed to make this project scale up and make it successful.

I want solve be part of my project like the project https://contest.techbriefs.com/2019/entries/sustainable-technologies/9829 to build the prototype and propose to the current administration of the United States Of America. Also be partners or shareholder of the my inventions.

So, it is very important for my project selected because it is great opportunity for my project to meet potential investors and partners, and I believe it is also good opportunity for solve to give a chance for promising project that will definitely impact the world positively.

With what organizations would you like to partner, and how would you like to partner with them?

I would like to be partners with major washing machine manufacturing companies like LG Electronics, IFB, Samsung, Whirlpool and Bosch. If that is not possible any companies will do.

Since I am a start up, I do not have the resources to go marketing and I have a working device that has high impact globally but due to luck of funding and partnership, it could not reach anywhere so far.

Partnering with me will have many advantages like the investors will get good deal because since I have many innovations https://contest.techbriefs.com... I am very flexible on market share, partners will also have access to the other more than 50 inventions of mine.

If you would like to apply for the AI Innovations Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If you are not already using AI in your solution, explain why it is necessary for your solution to be successful and how you plan to incorporate it.

When the device reaches at its best technology it will have an automatic sensor that starts its system when water is being feed to it and automated disposing mechanism of the microfiber and AI to detect when to collect the microfibers when they reach some amount of volume.

The funds from the award will be used on the project 100%. The funds I get will be used to manufacture the prototype and advertise the prototype. As said from above since I have more than 50 inventions if there is any left of the funding all the money will be used to build other inventions of mine. I would like to take training on marketing on the global stage that will help me with scaling all of my projects. (https://contest.techbriefs.com...) I will use the award to get access to big investors that will help on talking on the potential partnership on more than my 50 inventions. To put it in simple words, this award will change the lives of many peoples including mine.

If you would like to apply for the GM Prize on Circular Economy, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

The funds from the award will be used on the project 100%. The funds I get will be used to manufacture the prototype and advertise the prototype. As said from above since I have more than 50 inventions if there is any left of the funding all the money will be used to build other inventions of mine. I would like to take training on marketing on the global stage that will help me with scaling all of my projects. (https://contest.techbriefs.com...) I will use the award to get access to big investors that will help on talking on the potential partnership on more than my 50 inventions. To put it in simple words, this award will change the lives of many peoples including mine.

If you would like to apply for the Innovation for Women Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

The funds from the award will be used on the project 100%. The funds I get will be used to manufacture the prototype and advertise the prototype. As said from above since I have more than 50 inventions if there is any left of the funding all the money will be used to build other inventions of mine. I would like to take training on marketing on the global stage that will help me with scaling all of my projects. (https://contest.techbriefs.com...) I will use the award to get access to big investors that will help on talking on the potential partnership on more than my 50 inventions. To put it in simple words, this award will change the lives of many peoples including mine.

If you would like to apply for the Innospark Ventures Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.

The funds from the award will be used on the project 100%. The funds I get will be used to manufacture the prototype and advertise the prototype. As said from above since I have more than 50 inventions if there is any left of the funding all the money will be used to build other inventions of mine. I would like to take training on marketing on the global stage that will help me with scaling all of my projects. (https://contest.techbriefs.com...) I will use the award to get access to big investors that will help on talking on the potential partnership on more than my 50 inventions. To put it in simple words, this award will change the lives of many peoples including mine.