Technology for the home and hair

BRITISH TECHNOLOGY firm Dyson has long believed that the best way to understand its ingenious technology is to actually see it at work, which is why its first shop in Bangkok is in fact a concept store called Dyson Demo.
Just as in other major cities around the world, Dyson Demo encourages people to test and experience its products. The vacuum cleaners, which look rather like sculptures, are displayed in a gallery-like space designed by Chris Wilkinson, the founder of architectural design firm WilkinsonEyre. In 1999, the original concept space masterminded by Wilkinson opened in Paris, based on the principle that people need to understand how a machine works to realise how it is better. 

The gallery-like Dyson Demo store at Siam Paragon offers an interactive, hands-on experience.

Since then, Dyson has opened flagship demo spaces in Tokyo, London, Milan, San Francisco and New York and all of them are staffed by technicians happy to explain the complex engineering systems and innovations as well as enlarge on the technical information communicated via video walls. 
“It is critical for people to be able to test and experience our technology, so they can understand how it works,” Jim Roovers, head of electronics in Southeast Asia tells The Nation. 
“This space is designed with that in mind. For instance, customers can pick up our famous V8TM cord-free vacuums, pull them apart, and thoroughly test them on our test tracks with various dust samples. Thanks to the Dyson digital motor V8, which spins at up to 110,000rpm, these cord-free vacuums provide powerful fade-free suction and weigh just 2.6kg. Visitors to the Dyson Demo at Siam Paragon are able to try the machine on three different floor surfaces, with different varieties of dust and debris. They can see the digital motor up-close and speak to Dyson experts about which technologies are most suitable for their home.”

Dyson’s latest Pure Cool Purifying Fans

Other key technologies on display include Dyson’s latest Pure Cool Purifying Fans, which serve as a reminder that indoor pollution might not be seen but it certainly exists. The new LCD displays report pollutants in the home in real time, and then reacts automatically using a unique Dyson algorithm. The purifying fans feature a 360 degree fully-sealed filter system combining an activated carbon filter to remove gases, and a glass high efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filter that captures 99.95 percent of microscopic allergens and pollutants as small as 0.1 microns.
Also available is powerful lighting courtesy of an overhead lamp with a chic contemporary design. The heat pipe technology cools the LED to sustain brightness and ensure the long-lasting illumination is suitable for all tasks of the day. 

 Dyson Supersonic hair dryer

My favourite though is the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer. A small salon is set aside to introduce hair science to customers courtesy of Dyson’s small and powerful digital motor and two styling stations to allow people to test and experience the Dyson Supersonic first-hand. 
The expert explains how the product works, the technology inside, which is fast, focused and intelligent, and the result of a 50 million Pounds (Bt2.2 billion) investment in the science of hair. Dyson engineers studied hair from root to tip, understanding how it reacts to stresses. Complimentary in-store styling appointments can even be booked through the Dyson Thailand website.
“We are in the business of making technology that works in fundamentally differently ways. It is best understood when experienced and explained in the brand’s environment by its experts. With the new space in Siam Paragon, we are bringing engineering to life for the people in Thailand,” says chief operating officer Jim Rowan.