This is a small case study regarding to hand dryers.
Product
Hand dryer
Strategy
Blow (usually warm) air to users' hands
Challenge
Challenge is to get dry hands efficiently
Goal
Achieve dry hands with at least mediocre hygiene, save environment and money
Problems / Critical factors
Problems appear to be the lack of maintenance, leaving these bad boys hang out to dry alone. Also problem is that public bathrooms with the least beefy blower are usually the most crowded ones and out of the plan B - paper towels.
Another observation about public space designers is that some people just want to see the World burn, and invest to a hand dryer that is alerady sh*t from the assembly line.
Usually these factors make the devices even worse, because (in addition to condom vending machines) men measure one's strength against these inhumane robots.
Process
User washes hands. User approaches the device sanguine. User
a) sets one's hand under a optical detector or
b) pushes the button and
activates the device. Followed by this: usually frustration, dozens of restarts, cursing, water drippings on the front of pants (usually this is already provided by overactive tap), kicking the towel trash can around, touching the empty towel dispencer and eventually drying to your shirt / pants etc.
Results
The results tell horrible truth that something ought to be done.
Thank you for reading the text above. I will now get deeper in to a hand dryer's anathomy. If we speak seriously, hand dryer really seems to save environment, money and dries the palms of bathroom user with few seconds to spare.
First few basic models that exist in the market:
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| Optical 1 |
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| Optical 2 |
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| Button operated 1 |
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| Button operated 2 |
Now in the other hand, these bad boys use the push-to-blow switch. Engineers, what the f*ck are you thinking when you build a device that either blows 3 or 60 seconds full throttle. There is almost never a nice mediane.
A superior feature in these devices (lower optical and both button-operated) have a "face blower" -option, where you can either turn the nozzle (optical 2 and button operated 1) 180° or push the hatch in to a "down-position" (button operated 2) and blow your tupé to the Milkyway. I used to enjoy that feature when I was 8 to 10 years old. Otherwise didn't find it necessary.
I must say, that the touch-operated device feels unpleasant user-interface to bacteria scared people like I am, even though that usually has more reliability. Touching the button with knuckle and considering it toxicated the rest of the evening in local trattoria gives a nice spice to evening.
Now this is what might be just a feeling, but I've made my visits to huge amount of public restrooms and I am almost 100% sure that when the optical sensor works like a charm or you feel fearless like a fighter pilot when pressing that trigger to release the jetboost... the blower power reminds you of a bored sigh. And to make sure that you are going to rub your hands like car salesman (but without the pepsodent-smile) for the next 5 minutes, the air is room temperature. Am I the only one who carries these toughs (and the wet back t-shirt) with me?
Luckily most of these problems should be over since the new generations of hand dryers are the shizzle'. I familiarized Dyson's airblade to me in London 2011, when I was visiting the British museum. Here's a reference picture of the machine that has a protagonist role in the Dyson joke:
Usually people didn't understand how airblade works, so they pumped their hands in and out the device without understandint that it is "kinda like window wiper for your palms" so they got frustrated with the D. I think this worked wonderfully and it could be worth every penny if I ever had a public toilet to furnish.
I also ran to powerblowers such as Xleator, please click it bigger and "Feel the power" as the motto says.
I can imagine the price tag of that 500 horsepower ride.
Turns out that the shittiest models are called economy line products. I don't understand what kind of restaurant owner would like to be remembered by ugly / unpleasant toilet experience. For example, I like to wash my hands before setting to table and enjoying the meal.
There were some other examples. Competitor for Airblade; Panasonic's Quick Power Dry (translated page), ACSC International's Eco Air Hand Dryer and PureDry.
As a designer few principles are clear:
-The device has to look different than the "conventional" blowers with turnable nozzle. Don't want people to harrass my machine.
-It has to have very easy user interface; especially if it doesnt remind those models where you just place hands underneath
-optical sensor, but not the cheapest one that the manufacturer offers, so the device is long-lasting.
-effectiveness is effectiveness - only 1 device is needed even in crowded space if it is easy to use and efficient.
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| Drying hands in public |
