Editor's Picks, Interviews, Green Tech
Dyson's 400-MPH Hand Dryer
You may not have heard of James Dyson, but you've probably heard of or seen his iconic yellow vacuum cleaners. The 60-year old-founder and chairman of Dyson may have revolutionized vacuum cleaners with the innovative no-loss-of-suction design DC01 and DC15 models, but now he's turning his energies towards...public restroom hand dryers?
That's right, Dyson today debuted the Dyson Airblade, a sleek hand dryer that blows 400 miles-per-hour's worth of air through a paper thin opening, creating a blade-like strip of air (hence the name "Airblade"). This technique literally scrapes water off your hands and dries them in as little as ten seconds, which uses up less energy than most hand dryers and paper towels. We tried it out earlier – it works (without drying our hands since the air isn't too hot).
But this is all a roundabout way of introducing our two-minute interview with the inventor of high-tech doodads for the household. Here, Dyson talks about his new invention, gadgets that could use makeovers, and whether or not he plans to buy an iPhone.
What made you turn to hand dryers? These look just like the ones they have in Japan.
They haven't got these in Japan. They're the same shape as the ones in Japan, but ours are different. We were developing air blades for something else, and just put our hands over them one day and saw the water completely disappear. The next step was to develop a small and powerful enough motor to power such high pressure. Most hand dryers don't work, in my opinion.
You reinvented the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine, and now, the hand dryer. What other household item needs a makeover?
I think they all could. I love looking at objects and finding things that don't work properly or irritate us or our customers and try to solve those problem. We're working on some things I can't talk about right now.
Name one thing that drives you the most crazy about a gadget you own?
I think the whole business of how to use gadgets and and how to set them up is awful, since everybody uses a different vernacular. I find it very frustrating that you can't just go up to most gadgets and just use them.
Are you getting an iPhone?
I live in England, where we won't have them. So not at the moment.
You're stranded on a desert island. What gadget do you bring?
It would have to be a propeller. I always thought the propeller was a pretty great invention. Before that, you had paddlewheels, but the propeller enables all kinds of vehicles -- airplanes, boats, ships, even jets – that make the modern world what it is today.
So you'd take care of the motor on this desert island?
Oh yes, as long as I had a propeller, I could figure out the rest.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris said 7:19PM on 6-26-2007
I run a small restaurant chain & the salesman called from Dyson trying to sell me these machines for my stores. He was such an agressive jerk i won't even consider them. everyone has to make a living but.............
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Adam said 9:53PM on 6-26-2007
I used an Airblade in the restroom of a Carl's Jr. of all places in southern California just the other day. I have to say they are awesome! My hands were dry in about 5 seconds but I left them in longer because I couldn't get over how cool it was. Sounds like an airplane is taking off (super loud) but they work extremely well.
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Christy said 10:25AM on 6-27-2007
Wow,I can't believe that guy is 60. He's hot!!!!
That being said, I got the chance to use one of his vacuums at my daughters apartment.It was amazing! If I had carpet, I'd definitely buy one of his vacuums.
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Teesha said 4:22PM on 6-27-2007
Their vacuums work great on hardwood floors and tile too, I use mine for everything-even dusting the ceiling fans!
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Christina said 5:00PM on 6-27-2007
This guy rocks, what an innovator! I don't have any of his products yet but my hubby (who's british too) is dying to buy a Dyson vacuum because he says, quote "they work-they make sense". I guess my husband is supporting another fellow brit -haha...but yes, Dyson's inventions work hands down.
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judy riley said 5:11PM on 6-27-2007
Please redo the shop vac.
I use it in the house and outside. It could use some inventive thoughts. Like not falling over. Better attachments and shape.
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paul said 5:46PM on 6-27-2007
my wife insisted i buy her a dyson vac for xmas, best investment i ever made, so did my dentist!! watch out debeers!!
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JD said 6:41PM on 6-27-2007
wow this dude spend his time inventing products that both SUCK AND BLOW he must be single LOL
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MRG said 7:42PM on 6-27-2007
What a great idea!! After getting a manicure or pedicure who wants to wait around for your nails to dry, this would cut your wait time in half...think about it ladies!
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Amanda said 1:59AM on 6-28-2007
I used the Dyson DC 15 Full Kit (available at Costco) on my gas grill and fireplace....and there wasn't one bit of ash left in the tank when I emptied it out! If I could be these Airblade dryers for the bathrooms and kitchen in my house, I would.
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dude said 5:37AM on 6-29-2007
I tried the air blade hand dryer and it cut off my hands.=(
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Lynne said 2:48PM on 6-29-2007
My parents have a Dyson "Animal" and it gets used once a week on short-pile carpets. It has needed its motor replaced twice. That's pretty sad, and it's not used abusively or in out-of-the-ordinary situations.
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Gail Campbell said 11:09PM on 6-29-2007
Dyson is such a marvelous out-of-the-box thinker. I'll bet he could figure out how to make a microwave lunchpail, if anyone could.
I've used his pet model vacuum cleaner and it's great! I was amazed to see how much yuk was in my carpets! And I thought they were relatively clean!
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Alexus said 1:35PM on 7-07-2007
Funny Story. I bought Dyson "Animal" from Sears the saleslady obviously had no product knowledge she started the vac and leaned over to tell me about the removable wand when she did the suction caught her blouse and nearly pulled it off...Imagine us both wrestling to cut it off and the vac following all of her movements...It was totally hilarious...She had me sold that the vac had plenty of suction when her bra appeared...I would love to sell the new hand dryers after reading the reviews and owning his product he does nothing half-way they will sell themselves.....
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thomas said 11:58PM on 7-08-2007
Dyson vacuums really do SUCK like no other vacuum "as advertised", Unfortunitely my blade stops turning regularly and the rubberband has not broken or disconnected. Maybe Dyson could work on a makeover to perfect his vacuum blade gismo....
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Sonora said 8:03PM on 9-14-2007
Airblade....something very violent and disturbing about the name, especially when hands (or any extremity) is involved. I would recommend they change the name, but the product itse;f sounds great.
MRG, you ought to contact Dyson about your idea.....this could be your big one!
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Taiyo said 3:17PM on 10-11-2007
I love my Dyson, best vacuum I ever bought. With that said, his comments about these not being in Japan is a bunch of BS. They might have used a different motor over there, but they are the same exact style and work flawlessly. They have been in Japan since, oh around 1998. So Dyson should get off his high horse and fess up, he ripped the idea off of somebody else, pure and simple. Just reading his arrogant comment about technology 10 years old makes me want to send back my Dyson.
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