Life Solutions Made Possible by Connected Appliances - Hitachi
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FEATURED ARTICLES Improving QoL Where and How People Live
Life Solutions Made Possible
by Connected Appliances
Enhancing QoL by Meeting Needs of Increasingly Diverse Lifestyles
Having set out to deliver “products and services that meet individual needs” in response
to increasingly diverse consumer needs, Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc. is seeking to
improve the QoL of people around the world. By utilizing connected appliances and
their capacity for software updates, the company intends not only to keep up with
changes in the lifestyle challenges and structure of society on the product front, but also
to supply solutions through interoperation with the products and services of partners
inside and outside Hitachi. This article describes a service for automatically reordering
detergent and fabric softener for connected washer dryers that is intended to improve
consumer QoL by incorporating vision-driven development as well as traditional devel-
opment practices, and how this service is being implemented through integration with
an Amazon system.
Akitoshi Morishima
Ryo Hasegawa
Tomoya Yoshino
Shinji Ueno
practices and consumer needs and receptivity to identify
their dissatisfactions, preferences, and hidden needs so that
1. Introduction it can supply “products and services that meet individual
needs.” By taking advantage of digital technology, con-
Lifestyle services encompassing things like sharing, deliv- nected appliances offer the convenience of being able to be
ery, and communication tools have seen rapid growth over enhanced by means of software updates. As well as satisfy-
recent years against a background of advances in digital ing these diverse requirements, these connected appliances
technology, bringing with them greater diversity in how can also help make life more convenient and comfortable
people live and perceive value. This trend is evident not only by adapting to people’s changing circumstances across dif-
in developed countries, but also in emerging economies. In ferent life stages. By collecting and analyzing information
Japan, too, the emergence of these digital lifestyle services about people’s needs and concerns in different areas of life,
is being accompanied by changes in the structure of society, Hitachi GLS can go beyond the conventional practice of
including a rising number of small or single-person house- delivering standalone products and instead use connected
holds, a low birthrate, and an aging population, creating appliances as a basis for also offering services and solutions
greater diversity in how people live. that work in tandem with the products and services of
In response to this growing lifestyle diversity, Hitachi partners inside and outside Hitachi.
Global Life Solutions, Inc. (Hitachi GLS) is seeking to This article describes an example of such a service for
improve the quality of life (QoL) of people everywhere by washer dryers with connected appliance functionality.
conducting market research that includes surveys of living
50.elderly households and households where partners share the
2. Environment Surrounding housework, on the other hand, is bringing greater demand
Household Laundry for simplicity and labor saving as people want appliances
that are easy to use (see Figure 1).
Hitachi washer dryers offer a variety of solutions that
2. 1
address these challenges, including an “auto dosing system
Laundry Needs
of detergent and fabric softener” that automatically dis-
In Japan, greater lifestyle diversity and changes in the struc- penses detergent and fabric softener for each wash; an AI
ture of society that include an increasing number of dual- Wash function that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to select
income households and a rising elderly population mean the wash cycle and time automatically, cleverly delivering
that this diversity extends to consumer needs for home a clean wash without the user having to specify detailed
appliances and lifestyle services. In the case of laundry, the settings; and the Wind Iron function that reduces the need
rising number of dual-income and single-person house- for ironing by blowing high-velocity air that smooths out
holds is driving demand for being able to wash a large wrinkles as it dries the clothes. These functions are seen by
amount of clothes in a single load and to be able to do it consumers as important features when making a purchase
more quickly and with less bother. The rising number of (see Figure 2).
Figure 1 — Social Structure Change and
Trends in numbers of households
with full-time housewife and Laundry Needs
× 10,000 Population
households both partners working (× 10,000) Trend in elderly population % Changes in the structure of society with a ris-
1,300 4,000 40 ing elderly population and increasing numbers
Households with full-time housewife Elderly population (65 and over) Estimate
1,200 Households with both partners working
1,100 3,000
Percentage of total population
30 of households where both partners work are
1,000 bringing greater demand for simplicity and labor
2,000 20
900 saving.
800
1,000 10
700
600
0 0
500
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Year Year
Source: Prepared by the author based on Figure I-3-4 (Trend Source: Prepared by the author based on Table 2 (Trends in
in number of households with both partners working) of population and percentage of elderly) of Population Estimates
the White Paper on Gender Equality 2019 (Gender Equality (Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Bureau, Cabinet Office) Communications)
Want to wash many clothes Want to do laundry more Want appliances that area
in a single load quickly and with less bother easy to use
Figure 2 — Key Considerations when
(%) Purchasing Washer Dryers
Auto dosing system of
detergent and fabric softener 95 Consumers put a strong emphasis on functions
that make housework easier, including the auto
Wash capacity 58 dosing system of detergent and fabric softener,
AI Wash 57 AI Wash, and Wind Iron.
Wind Iron 49
Design 40
Auto Self Clean 36
Hitachi washer app 29
Hot water ultra-stream wash 29
Heat-recycling dryer 25
Ultra-stream wash 22
AI: artificial intelligence
* Based on research by Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc. (January 2020)
Top 10 choices selected from 20 options by purchasers of BD-NX120E front-loading washer dryer (sample size: N = 129)
(multiple choices permitted)
Hitachi Review Vol. 70, No. 1 050–051 51.Figure 3 — Connected Appliances
Use of the Hitachi washer app in tandem with the Return Personalized AI wash cycle ?
washer dryer makes laundry more convenient.
Better dirt Initialize
removal
Effective Thorough
drying rinsing
Default
Minimize Minimize
creases after fabric
water removal damage
Better water
removal
Detergent Low High
amount
Wash time Short Long
Feedback Start
Home Concierge Check progress Support Settings
Hitachi washer app BD-NX120E front-loading washer dryer
The Hitachi washer app is only available in Japanese.
2. 2
Front-loading and Top-loading Connected Washer stores (household goods retailers). In terms of their reasons,
Dryers the responses revealed different attitudes about what was
important in the purchasing experience. Low price and
Hitachi’s BD-NX120E and BD-SX110E front-loading convenience of location were among the reasons given for
washer dryers and BW-DX120E top-loading washer dryer purchasing from drug stores, whereas those respondents
are all connected appliances and come with a Hitachi who purchased via electronic commerce (EC) indicated that
washer app as well as the auto dosing system of detergent they did so because they did not want to spend time shop-
and fabric softener, AI Wash, and Wind Iron (front-loading ping and because it avoided the need to carry home heavy
machine only) features. items. With regard to purchase timing, while many respon-
In addition to a concierge function that supports users dents said they did so when their stock of detergent ran
with laundry advice based on weather reports or by rec- low, concerns were also expressed about how the amount
ommending which cycle to use based on fabric type or of detergent remaining was difficult to judge (see Table 1).
other circumstances, the app also allows users to customize
the operation of the appliance to their personal prefer- 3. Smart Life Solutions
ences, including a personalized AI wash cycle that learns for Washer Dryers
how to wash in accordance with user preferences and
additional wash cycle options available for downloading.
3. 1
Approximately 18,000 machines had been connected to
Vision-driven Service Development
the Internet by the end of August 2020, roughly 11 months
after the connected washer dryers (the BD-NX120E, Along with the traditional forecasting methods used in
BD-SX110E, and BW-DX120E) first went on sale (see product development, Hitachi GLS also utilizes a vision-
Figure 3). driven approach to the development of products and ser-
vices that looks at changing attitudes and how people will
2. 3
live in the future to identify kizashi (signs) as to how people
Detergent and Fabric Softener
will perceive value in the future, and then uses this to “back-
Hitachi has also conducted a survey on detergent and fab- cast” to the present day. One such kizashi that points to the
ric softener, products that are closely related to laundry future for consumers is “housework refactoring,” meaning
in terms of their role in routine housework. Conducted the reorganizing of housework into small tasks. Given the
online, the survey covered a wide range of consumers in the anticipated rise in the number of households made up of
20s to 60s age brackets, asking them about their choice of elderly people only, this predicts that there will be a need
detergent, where and how they purchase it, and any con- to reduce the amount of work involved in household tasks
cerns they have. The results found that most users chose such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning as well as the pur-
liquid detergent and that they tend to purchase it at drug chase of food and other daily necessities so that they can
52.FEATURED ARTICLES
Table 1 — Consumer Survey of Detergent and Fabric Softener
The survey results indicate consumer concerns as well as differences in place of purchase and what factors are important for detergent and fabric softener.
Purchasing practices
Usage
Place of purchase Reason Method of purchase Concerns
Liquid detergent Drug store: Low price: Purchase only as much as needed: Expensive:
(concentrate and Largest proportion Largest proportion overall 30s and 40s age group, women, 20s age group
non-concentrate): overall, especially Wide product range: and full-time employees Tend not to notice when no
Largest proportion overall, among 20s and 30s age 20s and 60s age group, women, When run out: more left:
especially among 20s group, women, and and full-time employees 20s age group 20s age group, women,
age group and full-time unmarried married, and full-time
Detergent
employees Convenient location: When nearly run out:
Home center: Women and unmarried 50s age group employees
Powdered synthetic Males and full-time Nowhere to keep spare stock:
detergent: employees Do not want to spend time When no more spare stock:
shopping: Women, married, and 30s age group
Males EC sites: 20s age group, women, and full-time employees Bulk purchases are too
Males married heavy:
When on sale:
Avoid having to carry heavy 50s age group 40s age group, home center
packages: customers
Purchase in bulk:
EC customers Home center customers
Fabric softener: Drug store: Low price: Purchase only as much as needed: Tend not to notice when not
20s age group and women Largest proportion Largest proportion overall 20s and 30s age group, women, much left: 30s age group
Detergent that contains overall, especially Wide product range: and full-time employees Tend not to notice when no
fabric softener: among 20s age group, 20s age group, women, and When run out: stock left:
Fabric softener
20s and 30s age group, women, and full-time full-time employees 20s age group, women, married, Women, married, and full-time
women, and full-time employees and full-time employees employees
Convenient location:
employees Women and full-time employees When no more spare stock: Tried but didn’t like scent:
Avoid having to carry heavy Women, married, and Home center customers
package: full-time employees Sometimes buy the wrong
EC customers When on sale: product brand or scent:
50s age group EC customers
Purchase in bulk:
Home center customers
EC: electronic commerce
* Based on research by Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc. (June 2019) Survey of purchasers of detergent or fabric softener (sample size: N = 559)
enjoy secure and independent lives, while on the other hand for the elderly but that, as the population increasingly ages,
households where both partners are busy working and who the digital divide between those people who are and those
also need to fit in time for childcare or in some cases caring who are not familiar with information and communications
for the elderly will likewise need time-saving and other such technology such as personal computers and the Internet
measures that make housework easier. Another kizashi, “IT may also lead to different outcomes in terms of QoL (see
enriches senior life,” recognizes that IT can be a lifeline Figure 4).
Figure 4 — Vision-driven Product Development
Product and service development is facilitated by identifying kizashi (signs) as to how people will perceive value in the future, and then using this to
“backcast” to the present day.
Sign 10 Sign 11
Identify kizashi
Housework Refactoring IT Enriches Senior Life
Enlist help with things that you
Develop vision
cannot cope with alone Digital technology enriches senior life
2028
2025
Kizashi examples 2022
2019
P: politics E: economy S: society T: technology
Hitachi Review Vol. 70, No. 1 052–053 53.Along with the kizashi of “housework refactoring” and (2) If additional detergent or fabric softener is ordered
“IT enriches senior life,” it was the consideration of the before it runs low, the delivery will arrive while the house-
above challenges posed by laundry that prompted the idea hold still has a large stock remaining. On the other hand,
of a service that utilizes digital technology to link to EC leaving the order too late risks running out before new
and automate the task of purchasing detergent and fabric supplies arrive. Accordingly, an algorithm was developed
softener for doing the washing. The service offers conve- that takes account of how long it takes for product delivery
nience by delivering these products when needed, freeing after ordering on the EC site, issuing the order when the
consumers from having to carry home heavy packages in amount of detergent or fabric softener remaining reaches
order to get the washing done, and taking over the task of the amount that will be used while waiting for delivery.
ordering to make sure that detergent and fabric softener These two functions were developed and used to imple-
never runs out. This has the potential to improve the QoL ment a system for automatically reordering detergent and
of a wide range of people, from the elderly who find shop- fabric softener (see Figure 5).
ping difficult to working couples who are pressed for time.
3. 3
3. 2 Service Established through Integration with Amazon
Development of System for Automatically Reordering System
Detergent and Fabric Softener
To perform automatic reordering using this new system,
The system for automatically reordering detergent and fab- Hitachi GLS launched a service for automatically reorder-
ric softener works by, (1) measuring detergent and fabric ing detergent and fabric softener in December 2019 that
softener usage and tracking how much is left, and (2) plac- works with Amazon Dash Replenishment*, an EC service
ing an order on an EC site when stocks run low. run by Amazon.com, Inc. that stocks these products. Thanks
(1) Tracking the remaining quantity of detergent or fabric to software updates, the reordering service is available to all
softener is done by collating how much has been dispensed owners of compatible appliances, including those purchased
by the auto dosing system of detergent and fabric soft- before the service launch (see Figure 6).
ener and subtracting this from the volume purchased. This
3. 4
is also combined with a detection system that keeps any
Use of Software Updates to Enhance Home Appliances
divergence between actual and calculated usage to within a
fixed amount by using floats inside the detergent and fabric As with the service for automatically reordering detergent
softener dispensing tanks used for auto dosing to detect and fabric softener described above, connected appliances
when they fall below a threshold. This ensures accurate * Amazon and Amazon Dash Replenishment are trademarks or registered trademarks of
tracking of the remaining quantities. Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Figure 5 — System for Automatically
Reordering Detergent and Fabric Softener
Consumer Hitachi EC site The system for automatically reordering deter-
Detergent and Track how gent and fabric softener was implemented by
fabric softener much is left
usage developing an algorithm for tracking how much
detergent and fabric softener is left and ordering
Reorder
more when needed.
Delivery
Figure 6 — Service Implemented
through Integration with Amazon Dash
Low quantity Replenishment
remaining Automatic
The service for automatically reordering deter-
reordering gent and fabric softener is designed to work with
Measure use of
detergent and Amazon Dash Replenishment and was launched
fabric softener in December 2019.
Amazon Dash Replenishment
Delivery A service that works with compatible appliances
to automatically order household goods used on
a daily basis when and in the quantity needed
54.FEATURED ARTICLES
Figure 7 — Log Data from Connected
Appliances
The objective is to determine how home appli-
(%)
Percentage usage in each time period
ances are used in practice by analyzing data on
35
their operation. March 2020
30 April 2020
May 2020
25
June 2020
20
15
10
5
0
4 to 7 AM 8 to 11 AM 12 to 3 PM 4 to 7 PM 8 to 11 PM 12 PM to 3 AM
can be enhanced by means of software updates. Based on Authors
customer feedback regarding the December 2019 service Akitoshi Morishima
Domestic Products Planning Department, Home
for automatically reordering detergent and fabric softener,
Appliances Products Strategy Planning Unit, Home
Hitachi developed a function to help users with purchasing Solution Business Division, Hitachi Global Life
that works by notifying users when levels run low and assists Solutions, Inc. Current work and research: Products
planning and development of home appliances.
them in purchasing more from an EC site. The function was
rolled out as a software update and commenced service in
March 2020, increasing customer choice by assisting with Ryo Hasegawa
Electronic Control Devices Design Department,
the purchasing of detergent and fabric softener. Hitachi Lifestyle Home Appliances Unit, Home Solution
intends to continue with other such initiatives that seek to Business Division, Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc.
address a variety of lifestyle and societal challenges through Current work and research: Development of home
appliances.
post-purchase updates to washer dryers, including offering
new wash cycles.
Tomoya Yoshino
Electronic Control Devices Design Department,
Lifestyle Home Appliances Unit, Home Solution
4. Conclusions Business Division, Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc.
Current work and research: Development of home
appliances.
This article has presented an example of how Hitachi GLS
is seeking to improve consumer QoL by using washer dry-
Shinji Ueno
ers as connected appliances. While this example involves Advanced Technology Development Center,
service development by means of situation analysis and Home Solution Business Division, Hitachi Global
vision-driven development, the contact people have with Life Solutions, Inc. Current work and research:
Development of home appliances.
connected appliances in their daily lives means these devices
are also able to collect data on how people live (see Figure 7).
The ability of such data collected from connected appli-
ances to provide timely information on how people really
live offers immense possibilities and Hitachi believes it
can help find solutions to a variety of lifestyle and societal
challenges. By analyzing this lifestyle data and combining
it with various other products and services, Hitachi intends
to supply new smart life solutions and work toward the
achievement of a higher QoL.
Hitachi Review Vol. 70, No. 1 054–055 55.You can also read
