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Dyson launches Airblade Tap, a hand-drying water faucet

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caramac

Member
http://www.slashgear.com/dyson-launches-airblade-tap-a-hand-drying-water-faucet-05268091/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21323365

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Dyson - the British engineering group - has unveiled a device that combines a high-speed hand dryer with hot and cold water outlets.

The Airblade Tap builds on the firm's success with its existing standalone cold air hand driers, but is more expensive at £1,000.

The firm's founder, Sir James Dyson, said that the device offered long-term savings over hot air dryers and towels.

However, one expert said its appeal might be limited until its cost fell.

The machine consists of a unit placed underneath the sink containing a motor, an air filter and sound-silencing equipment; a pipe that carriers the water, electrics and air to the tap; and a stainless steel head unit from which the water flows and unheated air jets out at 430mph (692 km/h).

Infrared sensors detect where the user's hands are - if placed under the tap's centre water comes out, if under its sides the air nozzles are triggered.

The firm said that the technology was protected by 110 granted patents with another 100 pending.

Dyson's existing Airblade range - launched in 2006 - has proved a money spinner for the firm. It said that to date the hand dryers had been installed in more than 250,000 locations worldwide.
 

Dali

Member
He demoed this on Today this morning. What could go wrong having air blow at 400mph into a wet sink? So yeah he rinsed his hands off for just a few seconds then immediately went to the dryer and Matt got a little spray on him from the water draining in the sink. Now image if the person had actually been washing their hands and running water for more than a moment and since its a public restroom the water doesn't drain near as fast as a demo set up in a studio... bad idea, Dyson.
 
Infrared sensors detect where the user's hands are - if placed under the tap's centre water comes out, if under its sides the air nozzles are triggered.

This is definitely going to give someone's elderly guest a heart attack.
 
Dyson always comes up with cool ideas that are too expensive for the problem they solve.

I doubt they're targeting the mass market with this tap. They'll probably win a few contracts with top hotel chains and corporate offices, which is likely to satisfy their investors.

The airblade is incredible. The only way they can improve on it is make it quieter.

I fucking love it, but if it doesn't hurt your head on a normal day, trying using it while you have a hangover. Shit is painful.
 

Zeppu

Member
motion controlled sinks dont work. I expect motion controlled dryers to perform equally well.

He demoed this on Today this morning. What could go wrong having air blow at 400mph into a wet sink? So yeah he rinsed his hands off for just a few seconds then immediately went to the dryer and Matt got a little spray on him from the water draining in the sink. Now image if the person had actually been washing their hands and running water for more than a moment and since its a public restroom the water doesn't drain near as fast as a demo set up in a studio... bad idea, Dyson.

When one of these breaks, the results will be hilarious.

Nah, I am good with paper towels.


Robert Pirsig could've written a novel about you lot.
 

Dali

Member
Robert Pirsig could've written a novel about you lot.

Not sure why I was listed in that group. Did you not read the part where I saw this demoed and the guy standing beside him got sprayed?


Just wait for the iSink, which will have 567 patents.

I can see it already

Patent application # 216 for Apple iSink

216. Mechanism through which water hits hands for the purpose of removing particulates and microscopic debris.
 
Maybe a few years ago I would agree with you. Now they seem to work as intended, at least in my experience.

The ones I have used shut off while I'm washing my hands. I wave my hand around to trigger the sensor and nothing. I have to move my hands further away and back under the faucet to retrigger the sensor.
 

Davidion

Member
I like the idea, but why not have the air nozzles turn up?

There's the impression that they didn't test it in a common bathroom environment.
 
motion controlled sinks dont work. I expect motion controlled dryers to perform equally well.
Heck, those dryers don't even work well... any of them. People put these in their bathrooms with no paper towels to save expense and time restocking paper towels, but I end up walking out of the bathroom wiping my hands on the back of my pants or something. It pisses me off to no end.
 

Dali

Member
I don't think a £1,000 faucet is designed for common bathrooms.

He was definitely trying to market it as such on Today. The air blade is everywhere now. I'm sure they hope for the same sort of wide-spread adoption for these faucets as well.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Robert Pirsig could've written a novel about you lot.

Somebody who writes mirthless prose about empty emotionless husks could type a long dull screed about you.

Meanwhile me and the Zany Bunch will be having a laff riot.
 
Wait, 430mph?? Erm, that seems excessive.

The number of patents on the other hand, doesn't. Over various jurisdictions, it's really not that many. Especially for a company like Dyson which relies on its IP so much.
 

Hawkian

The Cryptarch's Bane
Airblades are the only hand driers I've ever considered to "work."

Otherwise I'm all Peter Griffin at the UN.
 

mackattk

Member
Apple to patent rectangular sinks with rounded corners?

Try an oval water depository under the faucet where the water drains to.

You obviously have never used the XLRATOR

http://www.exceldryer.com/

Truly the world's finest hand dryer. I dream of owning one in my own home someday. With the Dyson airblade, all the water that comes from your hand goes down to this shelf on the unit, and it gets all nasty. The Xlerator blows the water down to the floor, where it belongs.
 

Timbuktu

Member
There are plenty of high end sanitaryware around already so i'm sure this will find a market. I do like how this looks, it is what is Dyson is all about but without the cheap plastic look. I do find their press releases irksome, as if making these kind of products is what engineering and innovations are all about.

I do see a problem with this concept though, especially in public bathrooms. When you want to use the tap, do you really want to wait for the guy in front to also dry his hands first?
 

Davidion

Member
Truly the world's finest hand dryer. I dream of owning one in my own home someday. With the Dyson airblade, all the water that comes from your hand goes down to this shelf on the unit, and it gets all nasty. The Xlerator blows the water down to the floor, where it belongs.

In a civilized world every citizen would have one attached as a natural extension to their appendages.

But the Dyson looks awesome

I like the Airblade alot, but I dare say the XLRATOR is much more effective through brute force. You actually need to expend some physical force to keep your hand still while using it.
 
I am still convinced drunk men will pee into the airblade and then some poor sod is going to get covered in urine afterwards. Cool piece of tech. I found that using it once did a good job and they were bone dry the second time. Local council has some in their otherwise fairly scummy toilets. I don't like the way Dyson gouges the market, under the assertion that Chinese knock offs will undercut him soon, at which point he will price it more competitively.
 
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