Launbot

Drying and ironing take up a large share of laundry time, and full-size tumble dryers are hard to fit into small homes or take on the road. Launbot is ZERA Lab's answer: a lunchbox-sized device weighing 265g that the maker pitches for apartments, travel, road trips and camping. According to the maker, its AI control adjusts temperature, airflow and time to suit the fabric, drying clothes fully without damaging them.

How it works

The core is what ZERA Lab calls a Twin Cyclone Generator: two mini turbines, built from high-strength materials, that draw in outside air and circulate it at a stable high speed inside the garment's canopy. The maker says this moves heat through the clothing quickly rather than letting it linger, keeping both the unit and the garment from overheating. Hidden inside is an AI-controlled graphene heater that can raise the background temperature to a maximum of 80°C (176°F). The maker says it heats evenly at low power without producing odors, while sensors check the temperature every second and adjust heating.

ZERA Lab claims Launbot can handle everything from underwear to mid-weight coats, citing 30 minutes for a T-shirt and 1 minute for underwear. Because air passes through quickly instead of being trapped as in a tumble dryer, the maker says it is safe for all fabrics, including silk blouses and wool sweaters.

Attachments and extra modes

• Drying bag: for T-shirts, underwear and socks; up to 5 items at once, with UV-C sanitizing
• Torso airbag: for shirts, hoodies, jackets and sweaters; drying and wrinkle smoothing in one step
• Pants airbag: for trousers, jeans and shorts; smooths wrinkles without ironing

A UV-C sanitizing and dust-mite removal mode can also be used without washing, which the maker suggests for refreshing clothes that have spent a season in the closet. A dedicated fragrance can be added during the drying cycle to tackle odors such as cigarette smoke or storage mustiness. One attachment stows inside the main unit.

Other maker claims: operation at 45dB, quieter than most vacuum cleaners; power use for drying 4–5 garments at under 1/10 of a typical dryer; and time savings of up to 2 hours a week for singles and small households. Operation is limited to choosing a mode and time, with the unit setting temperature and airflow automatically. Launbot has been presented as a Kickstarter project.