Cool (no-pun intended) but expensive tech/gadget

guiseppewv · 10-13-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Dyson launches the bladeless electric fan
By Paul Taylor

First there was the bagless vacuum cleaner, then the towel-less hand dryer: Now James Dyson, the British inventor, has developed a bladeless electric fan which goes on sale on Tuesday in the US and Australia.

The Dyson Air Multiplier fan – which looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie – uses advancements in airflow engineering instead of traditional blades to ‘multiply’ air 15 times and push out 119 gallons of smooth and uninterrupted air every second.

As a result, Dyson claims the bladeless fan, which works by forcing a jet of air out of a narrow circular slit and then over an aerofoil-shaped blade, is at least as efficient as its bladed counterpart, more comfortable and much safer.

Conventional electric fans have gone largely unchanged for years,” notes Mr Dyson. “The fundamental problem has remained the same for more than 125 years – the blades ‘chop’ the air creating an uneven airflow and unpleasant buffeting.”

Mr Dyson and his team of fluid dynamics engineers developed the technology behind the bladeless fan after studying the performance of an earlier Dyson invention, the Dyson Airblade commercial hand dryer that uses sheets of clean air travelling at 400mph to dry hands far more quickly and efficiently than rivals.

A team of fluid dynamics engineers spent four years running hundreds of simulations to precisely measure and optimise the machine’s circular aperture and airfoil-shaped ramp before perfecting Dyson’s Air Multiplier technology.

“We realised that this inducement, or amplification, effect could be further enhanced by passing airflow over a ramp,” says Mr Dyson. “And of course this was the point where the idea of a bladeless fan became a real possibility. Here was a way to create turbulent-free air and finally do away with blades.”

The new fan works by drawing air into the base of the machine. The air is forced up into the loop amplifier and accelerated through the 1.3mm annular aperture, creating a jet of air that hugs the airfoil-shaped ramp. While exiting the loop amplifier, the jet pulls air from behind the fan into the airflow (inducement). At the same time, the surrounding air from the front and sides of the machine are forced into the air stream (entrainment), amplifying it 15 times. The result is a constant uninterrupted flow of cooling air.

The Dyson Air Multiplier is powered by an energy efficient brushless motor and air speed can be precisely adjusted with a dimmer switch. It will be available in two sizes, a 10-inch model costing $300 and a 12-inch model costing $330.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.

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This is really "cool" but I am not sure I will be shelling out 300 clams to buy this. It is interesting that room/box fans have largely remained unchanged for a LONG time.

Airencracken · 10-13-2009, 02:57 PM

I'd like to see more on how it supposedly works. I am slightly skeptical. Dyson makes a lot of claims, but I have yet to see good scientific evidence to back a lot of them up.

guiseppewv · 10-13-2009, 03:05 PM

Like their vacuums and hand driers?

They work really well. I have one of their vacuums and I have used their hand driers many, many times and they both work darn well.

Airencracken · 10-13-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guiseppewv

Like their vacuums and hand driers?

They work really well. I have one of their vacuums and I have used their hand driers many, many times and they both work darn well.

The design of the hand driers seemed to exist prior to Dyson's in Japan. The vacuums seem to work well, but they toss out a lot of buzz words and terms that sound like voodoo.

For instance, this impeller they mention has to draw air somehow, I'm guessing there is a traditional bladed fan in the base. After all even "jet-technology" needs some sort of compressor, which is usually a fan (unless you're above Mach 1).

VTGreg · 10-14-2009, 04:52 AM

Saw this on CNBC yesterday morning. It just uses negative pressure. Seemed pretty cool but is rather expensive.

Nija · 10-14-2009, 06:33 AM

That thing blows.

Or not.

Heh.

Prngr44 · 10-14-2009, 08:30 AM

I'd like to see it in person.

attgig · 10-14-2009, 08:39 AM

it would be cool if they could draw fan so fast that it forces the unit to levitate....

ShawnLee · 10-14-2009, 10:06 AM

http://www.uberreview.com/2009/10/dy...s-the-cost.htm

I read this site and couldn't agree more. I generally a fan of new technology but if this wasn't just hype, then I hope it changes things in a few years. Otherwise, I'm not impressed enough to want to buy one. I'd much rather get a real fan instead.

tupacboy · 10-14-2009, 10:23 AM

that looks awesome.... but 300? geez

ray · 10-14-2009, 10:45 AM

I bet if this fan was somehow eco-friendly and was just as powerful as a normal fan, people would pay the $300 price tag.

VTGreg · 10-15-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ray

I bet if this fan was somehow eco-friendly and was just as powerful as a normal fan, people would pay the $300 price tag.

Not sure about the actual specs but when Dyson was demoing the item he did say it used less power than a regular fan. The output seemed every bit as powerful as a normal fan.

LPMiller · 10-15-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airencracken

The design of the hand driers seemed to exist prior to Dyson's in Japan. The vacuums seem to work well, but they toss out a lot of buzz words and terms that sound like voodoo.

For instance, this impeller they mention has to draw air somehow, I'm guessing there is a traditional bladed fan in the base. After all even "jet-technology" needs some sort of compressor, which is usually a fan (unless you're above Mach 1).

it's only fanless in the tradition sense, there is no fan to blow air in your general direction, but yes the motor has a fan in it. However, it's not really 'new' technology, and isn't really worth the premium price on it. I doubt the fan costs more then a standard walmart fan in parts.

DarkFury · 10-15-2009, 09:58 AM

He's probably trying to recoup R&D costs on it...

renovation · 10-15-2009, 11:44 AM

all there stuff at dyson i think is over rated and priced !

DarkFury · 10-15-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renovation

all there stuff at dyson i think is over rated and priced !

The vacuums are good... I like my Dyson, and I don't have the $$$ to even consider a Kirby or a Rainbow.

Still, it worked better than the Hoover it replaced.

WhiskeyPapa · 10-15-2009, 02:09 PM

I agree - our Dyson vacuum is great. Easily the best we've owned in 25 years of vacuum ownership.

guiseppewv · 10-15-2009, 07:08 PM

I third that - my Dyson sucks....and I mean that in a good way.

ray · 10-15-2009, 07:13 PM

my dyson vacuum was a refurb off ebay, and dyson still serviced it after the warranty expired. hassle-free customer service experience, great product, and is easily the best vacuum i have ever used.

Jeffbx · 10-16-2009, 09:13 AM

Gosh me too - got a refurb from Amazon for $175 about 5 years ago & it's still the best vacuum I've owned

10-13-2009, 02:57 PM	#2
Airencracken Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: California Posts: 6,681	I'd like to see more on how it supposedly works. I am slightly skeptical. Dyson makes a lot of claims, but I have yet to see good scientific evidence to back a lot of them up. __________________ "I remember my first orgasm, I just wish someone was there to share it with me..."11-05-2003 05:33 AM - Topane They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, & the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opiate of the masses. - Karl Marx Hell is other people - Jean-Paul Sartre

10-14-2009, 04:52 AM	#5
VTGreg Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,533	Saw this on CNBC yesterday morning. It just uses negative pressure. Seemed pretty cool but is rather expensive. __________________ It only ends once... Anything that happens before that is just progress. Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

10-14-2009, 06:33 AM	#6
Nija Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: May 2001 Location: City of The Dead Posts: 13,552	That thing blows. Or not. Heh. __________________ "Nija is the dark soul of gotapex. We don't like to talk about him." - LPMiller

10-14-2009, 08:30 AM	#7
Prngr44 Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: St. Louis Posts: 2,620	I'd like to see it in person. __________________ http://otthouse.blogspot.com

10-14-2009, 08:39 AM	#8
attgig Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: the burbs of baltimore Posts: 11,924	it would be cool if they could draw fan so fast that it forces the unit to levitate.... __________________

10-13-2009, 03:05 PM	#3
guiseppewv Admiral Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: East coast Posts: 7,116	Like their vacuums and hand driers? They work really well. I have one of their vacuums and I have used their hand driers many, many times and they both work darn well.

10-14-2009, 10:23 AM	#10
tupacboy Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: May 2000 Location: border of oc and la Posts: 2,382	that looks awesome.... but 300? geez

10-14-2009, 10:45 AM	#11
ray captain awesome Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 7,054	I bet if this fan was somehow eco-friendly and was just as powerful as a normal fan, people would pay the $300 price tag.

10-15-2009, 09:58 AM	#14
DarkFury Secretary of the Navy Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Chillin' N Da 'Hood Posts: 34,997	He's probably trying to recoup R&D costs on it... __________________ DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game! Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

10-15-2009, 11:44 AM	#15
renovation Admiral Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: You could pick up Lindsay Lohan for less than a intel 990x, and still have money left over to bail her outta jail Posts: 5,029	all there stuff at dyson i think is over rated and priced ! __________________ You could pick up Lindsay Lohan for less than a intel 990x, and still have money left over to bail her outta jail

10-15-2009, 02:09 PM	#17
WhiskeyPapa Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: 45° 11' 35" North Latitude, 95° 8' 37" West Longitude Posts: 3,427	I agree - our Dyson vacuum is great. Easily the best we've owned in 25 years of vacuum ownership. __________________

10-15-2009, 07:08 PM	#18
guiseppewv Admiral Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: East coast Posts: 7,116	I third that - my Dyson sucks....and I mean that in a good way.

10-15-2009, 07:13 PM	#19
ray captain awesome Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 7,054	my dyson vacuum was a refurb off ebay, and dyson still serviced it after the warranty expired. hassle-free customer service experience, great product, and is easily the best vacuum i have ever used.

10-16-2009, 09:13 AM	#20
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	Gosh me too - got a refurb from Amazon for $175 about 5 years ago & it's still the best vacuum I've owned

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