I've read about supermarkets moving towards RF bar code checkout system which allows the user to simply roll his/her cart into a box, where it analyzes the reflected radio waves from each items "bar code", allowing checkout without unloading the cart. Washing machines should have a similar sort of system, where each item had a RF bar code on its tag (waterproof of course, and non-itchy), allowing the machine to select the cycle (whites, darks, delicates) based on what the tags said. If more info could be held on the tags, the machine could warn you that you were washing a red sock with a load of whites. Also, the user could set the machine so that anytime a certain item was in the load, use setting X. Would be great for the laundry clueless like me.-- MuddDog, Jun 27 2001 <Obligatory 'we're not all in NYC, Peter' post>-- angel, Jun 27 2001 washing machine(in star trek computer voice): *Warning* critical mass of white clothing - washing drum breacth iminent...-- RobertKidney, Jun 27 2001 Well I think it sounds like a great idea. Croissant.-- goff, Jun 27 2001 random, halfbakery