FLŌRA Barrier-free hair washing machine

What it does

This device uses inclusive design to serve women with disabilities, offering a self-use, step-by-step process for rinsing, massaging, conditioning, and drying. It promotes independence while advancing personal care toward greater equality and accessibility

Your inspiration

For women with disabilities, hair washing is often exhausting or impossible without help, leading to dependence on costly care and a loss of autonomy—contradicting the UNCRPD’s call for independent mobility. Even for able-bodied women, especially the young, washing hair is tiring and time-consuming. Frequent complaints like “I’m too tired to wash my hair” reflect a shared need for a more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly hair care solution.

How it works

Intelligent Shower System Provides constant-temperature water with precise spray coverage, simulating a natural shower and avoiding splashes or missed spots. Foam Spraying System Generates dense foam at high speed and evenly distributes it, reducing user effort during shampooing. Adaptive Massage Module Features a bionic three-claw rotating head that adjusts to different head shapes, offering deep cleansing and relaxing pressure relief. Red & Blue Light Therapy Uses red light to boost scalp circulation and blue light for antibacterial and oil control, improving follicle health. Thermostatic Drying System Inspired by Dyson airflow logic, it delivers strong yet gentle drying, protecting hair from heat damage while ensuring fast results.

Design process

This project began with a simple question, “How can we provide a more convenient, comfortable, and accessible at-home hair washing experience for mobility impaired and female users?” We started with user research and clarified the key design elements: accessibility, female friendliness, strong sense of technology, and ease of cleaning and storage. Based on this, we constructed functional sketches and gradually refined them into a modern, streamlined product look, incorporating Dyson's style language and emphasizing high-end, simple, ergonomic aesthetics.

How it is different

Most current hair washing tools follow bulky, barber-style reclining designs that require manual help and are unsuitable for people with limited mobility—making them hard to use at home. Our smart, compact washer offers key innovations: Space-saving: Foldable or wall-mounted to fit small living spaces. Fully independent use: Smart controls and head-fitting water flow enable solo washing and conditioning. Inclusive design: Accessible for wheelchair users without standing or repositioning. Intelligent hair care: Built-in temperature control, precise product dispensing, and gentle drying for salon-quality results at home.

Future plans

After discussing this concept with friends and professors, nearly all the women I interviewed expressed a strong need for such a product. If possible, I would be truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from mentors at Dyson and explore ways to further develop this idea together. I believe that if we can bring it to life and produce it cost-effectively, the potential market impact would be significant.

Awards