Dyson CameraJet May Have Waterproofing Problem, Ars Technica Reports

The report places the CameraJet within Dyson’s broader efforts to reinvent established product categories. According to Ars Technica, Dyson has had considerable success with stick vacuums and premium hair dryers, though not as much with air-purifying headphones. The article says Dyson has got into hot water trying to reinvent the electric toothbrush.

Ars Technica traces the toothbrush’s development to the Ming dynasty, when the first bristle toothbrush was invented in China. That concept continued with little fundamental change until 1937, when Tomlinson Moseley filed a patent for the earliest electric toothbrush. After more than 400 years, the Motodent marked the beginning of an evolutionary shift from manual brushing to powered oral care.

The article frames the CameraJet against the risks of over-complicating products. It cites the apocryphal story of NASA spending millions to develop a space pen while Soviet cosmonauts used a pencil. Ars Technica says the story is not true, but it is often cited as a prime example of the danger of over-complicating products. The article also states that simple is so often best.

Dyson’s CameraJet is priced at $499 and is intended to use a tiny camera to direct rinsing fluid into the spaces between teeth. The product was announced earlier this month. Ars Technica reports that it may have a waterproofing problem, an issue that could matter for a device used with fluid in the mouth. The report does not say whether Dyson has responded or what the specific problem is.