How about using sound? Extra credit for discerning washer vs dryer, recognizing "done" buzzer/bell, etc. Might be useful if your dryer has a "wrinkle guard" fe

How about using sound? Extra credit for discerning washer vs dryer, recognizing "done" buzzer/bell, etc. Might be useful if your dryer has a "wrinkle guard" feature; buzz and then keep tumbling on low heat. For the washer, you could probably also discern portion of the cycle (fill, agitate, spin, drain).