Appliance
176879
218350583
2008-06-10T07:00:41Z
Lowellian
29210
{{wikt}}
'''Appliance''' may refer to a device with a narrow [[Function (engineering)|function]]:
* [[Home appliance]], household machines, using [[electricity]] or some other [[energy]] input.
** [[Small appliance]]s
** [[Major appliance]]s
* In medicine and dentistry, custom-fitted appliances to an individual for the purpose of correction of a physical or dental problem such as [[prosthesis|prosthetic]], [[orthosis|orthotic appliance]]s, and [[dental braces]].
* [[Computer appliance]], a computing device with a specific function and limited configuration ability
* [[Fire apparatus]], a fire engine or fire truck in British English
== Networking of home appliances ==
{{Mergeto|home appliance|date=August 2007}}
{{main|Home automation}}
There is an increasing trend to network [[home appliance]]s together, and combine their controls and [[key function]]s. For instance, energy distribution can be managed more evenly so that when the [[washing machine]] is on, the [[oven]] can go into a [[delay]]ed start mode, or [[vice versa]]. Or, a washing machine and dryer may share information about load characteristics (gentle/normal, light/full), and synchronize their finish times so the wet laundry does not have to wait before being put in the dryer.
== See also ==
* [[Domestic technology]]
* [[Domotics]]
* [[End user retro-engineering]]
* [[Smart Personal Objects Technology]]
== External links ==
*[http://contest.thinkquest.jp/tqj1998/10157/history/nenpyou.htm When the world first Electric Home appliance was invented], web site with [[Japanese language]] by [[Hokkaidō]] [[Hakodate, Hokkaidō|Hakodate]]chubu High School, [[Personal computer]] research club. ([[:ja:北海道函館中部高等学校]])
[[Category:Electro mechanical engineering]]
[[de:Elektrogerät]]
[[ja:アプライアンス]]
{{Unreferenced|date=December 2007}}