> We went back to the drawing board and really listened to the people we were designing for, for the context in which they lived. That research changed everything,”

I understand they had a very good idea to begin with, and more importantly their heart in the right place And then further made it better with more input.

Reading the comments here the better solution for us is probably not to go back to "dumb" washing machines, but to regain control of how these machines are designed, for who and for what.

I'm thinking about Linux, which can be stripped down as small and nimble as needed to run a single board micro controller, or be large as needed to have everything to run an enterprise service. Being able to do the same with a washing machine would absolutely change their usefulness and place in our society.

I don't know how it could start, perhaps with an IKEA washing machine that actually needs assembly, for users to then tweak the parts, start comminities so we get at least in a KALLAX situation ?

https://ikeahackers.net/2025/07/ikea-kallax-hacks-2.html