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}}