4 ms·

This is one of those practical inventions that I could see being in everyone's home (and bathroom) in twenty years, with future generations asking: "Did people

This is one of those practical inventions that I could see being in everyone's home (and bathroom) in twenty years, with future generations asking: "Did people really use unhygienic towels to dry their hands after washing, grandpa?"

danellis 14y ago
What I really want is something like that for the shower. No more getting out wet when it's cold.
- Aloisius 14y ago
  Agreed. Would be really useful in the gym too.
- ceejayoz 14y ago
  Use one of the Dyson dryers first. Your hands get cold - they use hot air, but evaporation makes it feel pretty cold until they're actually dry.
  - VLM 14y ago
    Skin temp drops to dew point and not a degree lower. Wind speed can mess with total heat energy flux thru a surface via windchill, but thats more a long term / higher delta t effect. Hence the Floridians who are looking confused at your claim and the Arizonians who shiver along with you.
- mistercow 14y ago
  There's also some evidence that air drying is better for your skin than using a towel. From what I've heard, if you're wealthy you can already get a system that pumps hot, dry air into your shower from all sides and dries you off. It may not have the skin-rippling magic of the AirBlade, but it gets the job done. A DIY version of this concept is on my list of "projects I lack the expertise to do safely or effectively, but I'll be damned if that stops me from wasting hours on ill-conceived diagrams and hundreds of dollars on parts".
dexter313 14y ago
They have to make it quieter first. There is no way i could use anything so loud with roommates sleeping in the next room. I think towel is still better for home usage as it wipes any remaining soap/stain off your skin in hard to reach places, and after a while you can always wash it in a washing machine.
gojomo 14y ago
Other than via Dyson's "most hygenic" marketing claim, where do you get the idea towels are unhygenic? The evidence seems mixed or against air dryers, at least when compared to paper-towels, properly implemented. See for example: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324705104578151751460513268.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732470510457815... http://blog.kamens.us/2010/10/26/dyson-airblade-not-the-fastest-or-most-hygienic/ http://blog.kamens.us/2010/10/26/dyson-airblade-not-the-fast... (including the University study linked within) I'm not a fan of the Dyson jet dryers. I can feel the mist of blown water, suggesting that it's getting my 'bathroom sink rinse' more places, rather than leaving it all in the bathroom. The power of the jets sometimes causes my hands to touch the sides of the device, which results in one more bathroom-surface-touch than I'd prefer on my way out. And unless I run my hands through 2-3 times, waiting for the unit's (motor cool-down?) pause each time, my hands still feel slightly damp compared to a thorough paper-towel-drying.

danellis 14y ago

What I really want is something like that for the shower. No more getting out wet when it's cold.

Aloisius 14y ago
Agreed. Would be really useful in the gym too.
ceejayoz 14y ago
Use one of the Dyson dryers first. Your hands get cold - they use hot air, but evaporation makes it feel pretty cold until they're actually dry.
- VLM 14y ago
  Skin temp drops to dew point and not a degree lower. Wind speed can mess with total heat energy flux thru a surface via windchill, but thats more a long term / higher delta t effect. Hence the Floridians who are looking confused at your claim and the Arizonians who shiver along with you.
mistercow 14y ago
There's also some evidence that air drying is better for your skin than using a towel. From what I've heard, if you're wealthy you can already get a system that pumps hot, dry air into your shower from all sides and dries you off. It may not have the skin-rippling magic of the AirBlade, but it gets the job done. A DIY version of this concept is on my list of "projects I lack the expertise to do safely or effectively, but I'll be damned if that stops me from wasting hours on ill-conceived diagrams and hundreds of dollars on parts".

dexter313 14y ago

They have to make it quieter first. There is no way i could use anything so loud with roommates sleeping in the next room. I think towel is still better for home usage as it wipes any remaining soap/stain off your skin in hard to reach places, and after a while you can always wash it in a washing machine.

gojomo 14y ago

Other than via Dyson's "most hygenic" marketing claim, where do you get the idea towels are unhygenic? The evidence seems mixed or against air dryers, at least when compared to paper-towels, properly implemented. See for example: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324705104578151751460513268.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732470510457815... http://blog.kamens.us/2010/10/26/dyson-airblade-not-the-fastest-or-most-hygienic/ http://blog.kamens.us/2010/10/26/dyson-airblade-not-the-fast... (including the University study linked within) I'm not a fan of the Dyson jet dryers. I can feel the mist of blown water, suggesting that it's getting my 'bathroom sink rinse' more places, rather than leaving it all in the bathroom. The power of the jets sometimes causes my hands to touch the sides of the device, which results in one more bathroom-surface-touch than I'd prefer on my way out. And unless I run my hands through 2-3 times, waiting for the unit's (motor cool-down?) pause each time, my hands still feel slightly damp compared to a thorough paper-towel-drying.