Dyson’s developments in the realm of home appliances illustrate how brands can look to problem-solving as a necessary step in building a great product. The Dyson Global Development Centre based in Johor Bahru plays a remarkable role in pioneering innovative new technologies, especially in the brand’s floorcare category. With over one-sixth of Dyson’s engineering workforce being based in Johor, it was Malaysian engineers who were the driving force behind the development of the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine, a model which is now sold across the region and the world.
John Churchill, the Chief Technology Officer of Dyson, talks The Peak through the ins and outs of creating a Dyson product and how investing in research and engineering has led Dyson to become a household name.
What do you think sets Dyson apart from its competitors?
Our obsession with performance and problem-solving. It is the look on peoples’ faces when they pick up, test and experience our machines where they truly understand the Dyson difference.
Hair dryers that dry your hair quickly through powerful airflow instead of damaging heat, cordless vacuum cleaners that are capable of powerful suction to deep clean your homes, air purifiers that properly circulate purified air throughout a room – the list goes on. Our belief in investing relentlessly into research and engineering, and our 6,000-strong global network of engineers and scientists – more than 1000 of them sit right here at the Global Development Centre in Malaysia – are what make this possible.
How does a Dyson product concept first come about? What is the starting point?
It all starts with a problem. We’re intrigued by the everyday frustrations that people face in their homes – whether in dealing with bulky vacuum cleaners that lose suction quickly, or poorly sealed purifiers that let polluted air back into the environment.
From there, we work to understand the science of the problem through relentless research. We then look at how we can apply our knowledge in science, technology and engineering to solve the problem – bringing hardware and software expertise together to pioneer something radically different and better. Solving problems from the ground up is hardly the easiest way of doing things. But we’re not interested in easy. We want to engineer technologies that fundamentally perform better than conventional machines on the market.
Could you talk us through the design process behind a Dyson appliance?
The first thing that often catches peoples’ eyes is the look of Dyson machines. They’re rather radical by conventional standards, but we never intentionally design our machines to look a certain way. In fact – it’s quite the opposite. We always engineer our machines inside out – starting with what’s inside. We call it a performance-led approach. Form follows function.
Take cordless vacuum cleaners as an example. Cordless vacuum cleaners used to be slightly slimmed-down versions of full-sized machines. Equally, they had slimmed-down versions of conventional motors that were inefficient. The result was cordless machines that seemed attractive on paper, but more often than not, had poor suction and were impractical for cleaning any surface other than the floor.
This is what drove us to develop our very own patented digital motor we call the Dyson Hyperdymium motor – a small and lightweight brushless motor driven by digital impulses that allow them to spin up to 125,000rpm – five times faster than a Formula One car engine. Because of how small and lightweight our motors were, we were then able to move the motor into people’s hands – giving rise to a new format of versatile, cordless vacuum with powerful suction to tackle all manner of surfaces in a home – effectively.
The path to discovery is rarely straightforward. Many concepts originate from our Malmesbury Technology Campus and Hullavington Airfield, where we’ve some of the world’s brightest experimenting with pioneering concepts and innovations. While most of these concepts never make it beyond this stage, a select, promising few are further developed into early prototypes. Even fewer make it through to the stage for further development.
The Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine.
Sometimes, the wealth of expertise sitting in our development teams gives rise to new ideas. I am, for one, immensely proud of our Malaysian engineers at the Global Development Centre who were the driving force behind the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine. Their invaluable knowledge and contributions enabled us to pioneer our first-ever, all-in-one wet-and-dry total cleaning solution. A global first for Dyson – developed right here in Malaysia.
Dyson colours are quite distinct, how are the colours of a product decided?
We’ve certainly had a rich and interesting relationship and history with colour. After all, the very first vacuum cleaner that James Dyson developed – the GeForce sported a distinct blush pink colour – is very eye-catching and certainly a breakaway from the drab browns that were rather popular with machines at the time. You could say the choice of colour was as radical as the technology itself – it was the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner with Cyclone technology.
There is, of course, a functional purpose to colour as well. Colour can be an effective language to help users get the most out of our machines intuitively. Take the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine as an example. Many parts of the machine that users can interact with are red. The power button, the bin emptying mechanism, and the button on the Dyson Submarine wet roller cleaner head allow users to disassemble the tool for cleaning effortlessly.
We also use colour – or the lack thereof – to highlight our technology to our owners. Take the gold hues of the two-tier, patented radial cyclones on the body of the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine vacuum that separates dust from clean air. Or the clear, transparent bin that allows our owners to see Cyclone technology in action.
The Dyson Airwrap multi-styler.
With beauty technology, on the other hand, there is an undeniable personal relationship that people can have with colour. Colours, materials and finishes (CMF) is a relatively new field at Dyson where we’re driving pioneering research to enhance the technology and product experience.
With the Ceramic Pop Dyson hair care range as an example, we’ve applied our knowledge to deliver on a bold new colourway that has a ‘ceramic’ finish – the result of precision-applied satin paint topcoats that are designed to evoke the silky-smooth finish of unglazed ceramic. The practical aspect of materials is also important – our machines undergo rigorous testing to ensure the finishes withstand the demands of daily use.
For a product such as the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine, who is the typical customer that you’re targeting?
Just as our haircare machines are developed to address the needs of different hair types, The Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine is developed to address the needs of different home types. It is our first wet-and-dry, all-in-one cordless vacuum cleaner that allows homeowners to achieve a barefoot clean in their homes.
That being said, we’re very interested in understanding the needs and habits of homeowners in Asia – and I speak as a homeowner in Asia myself! Take Malaysia as an example. 90% of respondents from Malaysia in our 2023 Global Dust Study reported having hard floors in their homes, and more than half reported only cleaning their homes when they spotted visible dust.
As someone with a home with hard floors myself – there’s nothing as unpleasant as the feeling of hidden dust against the soles of my bare feet. This is what led us to pioneer technology such as the Fluffy Optic cleaner head that uses a precisely angled blade of light to reveal invisible dust on hard floors, and the Dyson Submarine wet roller cleaner head that delivers precise amounts of hydration to wash floors evenly without leaving excess wetness. To put it differently, the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine cordless vacuum is for everyone. Young families, pet parents, new and houseproud homeowners, allergy sufferers – the list goes on. Fundamentally, we aim to make the daily task of home cleaning quick, effortless, efficient and enjoyable.
How excited are you for the future?
Incredibly. We’ve big ambitions to pioneer a new generation of intelligent and connected machines that solve problems without the need for users to lift a finger. And we’ve backed our efforts with an ambitious £2.75bn (approx. RM16.45bn) global investment into fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, software, electronics, energy storage, and connectivity.
The Dyson Zone headphones marked our foray into the world of audio, and we will continue to venture boldly into new technology categories. It’s a wildly exciting time for us at Dyson. And as to what’s in-store – well, you’ll just have to wait and see.
