Capable of drying up to 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) worth of clothes at one time, the Zero uses a pump to draw air out of its sealable inner chamber. This creates a vacuum inside, which allows water to evaporate from the clothing at a lower temperature than would otherwise be possible. As a result, less heat and therefore less energy is required, as compared to a conventional dryer of the same size.

A moisture sensor detects when the clothes are dry, then automatically stops the machine – a single drying cycle is claimed to take about 15 minutes. No venting is required, as the evaporated water is collected within a slide-out tray. Users are alerted when that tray needs to be emptied.

Additionally, an ultraviolet light within the dryer is used to kill a claimed 99.9 percent of bacteria that may be present in the clothing. Other features include a three-motor design that allows the drum to better-tumble clothes by alternately turning back and forth in two directions, along with integrated push-button controls that let users set drying parameters.

Should you be interested, the Morus Zero is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of US$299 will get you one, when and if they reach production. The planned retail price is $549.

According to newatlas