Common Bathroom Electronics
Most people wake up in the morning and head straight for the bathroom to start their day. They shower, shave, dry and style their hair, brush their teeth, and do whatever else is necessary to make themselves presentable to the world. So what do you do if you plug in your hair dryer, turn it on, but nothing happens? What if you switch on your electric razor, only to find there's no whirring sound and your face is still just as stubbly as before? Modern electronic devices used in the bathroom are very important to life in contemporary society. Hair dryers, electric razors, hair curlers, even electric toothbrushes... they all add comfort and convenience to life, making each day a little less stressful. Did you ever think about what your everyday life and routine would be like without these great little gadgets? What are their origins? How did they develop? How do they work?
Electric hair dryers
If you're old enough, you probably still remember those huge, sci-fi-looking hair-drying machines Mom or Grandma would sit under at the beauty parlor. The lady who worked there would put curlers in Mom's hair and a cap on her head. She would lead Mom over to a chair and pull that mammoth, dome-shaped thing over Mom's head and make her sit there for what seemed to a kid like days. Thanks to technology, there's a much simpler and more portable way to dry your hair. Although blow dryers were actually invented back in the 1920s, because their chrome-plated designs were so heavy, they weren't great for everyday home use. They've gone through a lot of changes in the past 50 or 60 years, with better grounding techniques, lighter weights, better electronic components, and 'nano' technology that helps to kill bacteria and head lice. Electric hair dryers work by blowing room temperature air in through the vents. The air then passes over wire coils that heat it, making it able to blow the hair dry with hot air. The process of air blowing on the hair speeds up water evaporation.
Electric razors
Razors are really nothing new. In fact, razor-like tools have been found that dated back as far as 18,000 BC. It is doubtful, however, that anyone today would care to use these, for some of them were actually made from shark's teeth! Modern razors were invented in the 18th century, with the first electric razor being invented in the 1920s. When inventor Jacob Schick patented the very first electric razor in 1923 and made it widely available, men in industrialized countries began making shaving a part of their everyday routines. This revolutionized the razor industry, bringing with it the battery-powered electric razor, moisturizers designed specifically for shaving, and electric razors made for wet/dry use. The two most common electric razors used today are the straight foil razor and the tri-headed rotary razor. The first has a straight edge across the top and a screen that resembles a very fine cheese grater that covers the blade. The second looks almost like a microphone. These razors both work in much the same manner, sweeping across the cheek and collecting hairs inside a foil. The foil grabs the hair follicles, while the blade assembly slides against the foil and cuts the hairs.
Electric toothbrushes
Would you be surprised to find out that the first electric toothbrush came on the market in 1880? Well, it's not true. So why was it mentioned? Because in 1880, an English gentleman known as Dr. Scott advertised the first electric toothbrush. The problem? It wasn't electric at all. In fact, Dr. Scott also advertised electric hair brushes and, yes, electric flesh brushes, and none of these were electric either. Scott's electric toothbrush actually had slightly magnetized iron rods in their handles, and there was no electrical current whatsoever. Though the first electric toothbrush was invented in the 1930s in Switzerland, it was quickly taken off the market for ineffectiveness. The first effective electric toothbrush actually wasn't invented until the mid 1950s by Dr. Philippe-G. Woog. The toothbrush was marketed first in Switzerland and later introduced to the U.S. at the 100th anniversary of the American Dental Association in 1960. Electric toothbrushes have an internal motor that begins to spin when the toothbrush is switched to the 'on' position. The gear inside converts this spinning into an upward/downward motion, and the brush moves as well. This motion, of course, mimics the brushing of teeth with a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can be extremely effective for cleaning teeth, especially for those with braces or painful hand and wrist conditions.
Bathroom electronic sure do make life easier. In today's hectic world, it is doubtful that anyone would give up any of the electrical gadgets they use every day that make getting out the door in a hurry simpler and quicker.
Electric hair dryers
If you're old enough, you probably still remember those huge, sci-fi-looking hair-drying machines Mom or Grandma would sit under at the beauty parlor. The lady who worked there would put curlers in Mom's hair and a cap on her head. She would lead Mom over to a chair and pull that mammoth, dome-shaped thing over Mom's head and make her sit there for what seemed to a kid like days. Thanks to technology, there's a much simpler and more portable way to dry your hair. Although blow dryers were actually invented back in the 1920s, because their chrome-plated designs were so heavy, they weren't great for everyday home use. They've gone through a lot of changes in the past 50 or 60 years, with better grounding techniques, lighter weights, better electronic components, and 'nano' technology that helps to kill bacteria and head lice. Electric hair dryers work by blowing room temperature air in through the vents. The air then passes over wire coils that heat it, making it able to blow the hair dry with hot air. The process of air blowing on the hair speeds up water evaporation.
Electric razors
Razors are really nothing new. In fact, razor-like tools have been found that dated back as far as 18,000 BC. It is doubtful, however, that anyone today would care to use these, for some of them were actually made from shark's teeth! Modern razors were invented in the 18th century, with the first electric razor being invented in the 1920s. When inventor Jacob Schick patented the very first electric razor in 1923 and made it widely available, men in industrialized countries began making shaving a part of their everyday routines. This revolutionized the razor industry, bringing with it the battery-powered electric razor, moisturizers designed specifically for shaving, and electric razors made for wet/dry use. The two most common electric razors used today are the straight foil razor and the tri-headed rotary razor. The first has a straight edge across the top and a screen that resembles a very fine cheese grater that covers the blade. The second looks almost like a microphone. These razors both work in much the same manner, sweeping across the cheek and collecting hairs inside a foil. The foil grabs the hair follicles, while the blade assembly slides against the foil and cuts the hairs.
Electric toothbrushes
Would you be surprised to find out that the first electric toothbrush came on the market in 1880? Well, it's not true. So why was it mentioned? Because in 1880, an English gentleman known as Dr. Scott advertised the first electric toothbrush. The problem? It wasn't electric at all. In fact, Dr. Scott also advertised electric hair brushes and, yes, electric flesh brushes, and none of these were electric either. Scott's electric toothbrush actually had slightly magnetized iron rods in their handles, and there was no electrical current whatsoever. Though the first electric toothbrush was invented in the 1930s in Switzerland, it was quickly taken off the market for ineffectiveness. The first effective electric toothbrush actually wasn't invented until the mid 1950s by Dr. Philippe-G. Woog. The toothbrush was marketed first in Switzerland and later introduced to the U.S. at the 100th anniversary of the American Dental Association in 1960. Electric toothbrushes have an internal motor that begins to spin when the toothbrush is switched to the 'on' position. The gear inside converts this spinning into an upward/downward motion, and the brush moves as well. This motion, of course, mimics the brushing of teeth with a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can be extremely effective for cleaning teeth, especially for those with braces or painful hand and wrist conditions.
Bathroom electronic sure do make life easier. In today's hectic world, it is doubtful that anyone would give up any of the electrical gadgets they use every day that make getting out the door in a hurry simpler and quicker.