A lightweight stick that creates fun EC-A1R

ーMr. Matsushima, to begin with, why is the name “Air”?

Well, please pick up the Air. Isn’t it lighter than the one you ordinarily use, Ms. Kurokawa? For this product, we sought nimble cleaning thanks to unprecedented lightness. Its nickname was “Air” from the start of development.

ーIt really is incredibly light!

Isn’t it? (Laughs.) So light that it can be lifted effortlessly, even the tops of shelves and places that are hard to reach can be cleaned easily. From this lightness, particularly, the “Clean is fun!” concept was born.

ー“Clean is fun!” Really? Does this mean vacuuming is fun?

When you hear these words, what kind of image do you have? “Clean is fun!” as we think about it is that we want to keep the rooms where our valuable families spend time spick-and-span, for example. For this reason, there are a lot of high-performance vacuum cleaners on the market, and an abundant variety of offerings that “make cleaning convenient and easy” exists. Despite this, I think cleaning represents a type of housework that causes stress because, for example, preparation is tedious, equipment is heavy, and its maintenance is a hassle. This is why, in particular, I want to make vacuum cleaners that can be used enjoyably, even to the level where people spontaneously feel “this is fun.” If housework becomes a fun experience, it is really fantastic. So this is, “Clean is fun!” as we think about it.

ーI see. I feel that I have taken a step into your world.

In order to have people experience fun, I focused deeply on lightness. To the greatest extent possible, I eliminate the covering that is normally used to hide the structure and internal parts, and I design with the idea of intentionally exposing and showing the functionality.

ーWhen you design, are there things that give you hints?

Bicycles, which are my hobby, were quite useful references. When we started talking about trying to make it lighter, I thought, “Carbon is the only thing!” This material is often used in bicycles, tennis rackets and other sports equipment. Since it is thin and strong, very light parts can be made. However, the manufacturing methods and costs are different from ordinary resin molding, so it had never been used for vacuum cleaner. For this reason especially, I believed that taking on this challenge would result in a vacuum cleaner with a sporty appeal like a bicycle frame. As the person in charge of design, in order to realize this, I was happy when the goal of mass production came into sight after numerous discussions and prototypes. In addition to carbon pipe, I sought to use the right materials in the right places, including rubber for the entire handle, and to bring out the functional beauty of each component. While fiddling with and studying my bicycle, which I brought into the office, I designed this product down to its details.

ーYou have linked your hobby with your work.

That’s right! There is a synergy. Bicycles are something that I cannot live without. Even in my daily life, inside my head, I am always thinking about design. When I am seriously riding a bicycle, however, the enjoyable struggle does not leave space for me to think about anything else. Because of this, I feel that excess things are washed away. Then, ideas suddenly pop up. This could be called head cleaning.

ー“Head cleaning.” It’s catchy.

It could be on an advertisement or something. (Laughs.) Sometimes I ride a bicycle early in the morning before going to work. Experiencing the instant when the sun comes up and directly sensing differences in air temperature and other seasonal changes feels great.

ーIt also seems good to refresh your spirit!

You should give it a try. (Laughs.) Actually, I think the Air shares similarities with bicycles. By riding a bicycle, a fast speed can be maintained. Using the Air, a room can be vacuumed easily and made clean. Don’t you think that both tools help increase your performance? Moreover, they have the potential for the physical sensations and experiences of “head cleaning” and “fun.” Tools that enable a good experience really are beautiful.

ーThe power of tools is amazing.
The Healsio Grillé that I covered previously also provided the experience of “having warm and happy times.”

That’s right! Of course, I believe that forms and materials along with colors are also important to allow people to have high-quality experiences. For this reason, I chose light yellow and pink as color variations for the Air to give it a sporty and nimble image.

ーThey feel active.

Bright colors like these make people feel energized. I wanted to create something that would satisfy people, including the color scheme and design as well as performance, so I was constantly thinking only about the Air. I was even muttering the model name in my sleep. (Laughs.) Because of the difficulties in bringing it to fruition, though, the joy upon completion was exceptional.

ー You have really conveyed the passion that you put into the Air!

All of my designers are passionate. We are a group of people who like creating things. (Laughs.) The Air wasn’t just from my abilities alone. I believe it came together because of team members working in unity. If even one more person has the “Clean is fun!” experience because of the Air, it will be a great success.

More information about the product introduced is available here.

Note: The department that the author belongs to and the content of the article are correct at the time of writing.