Airblade

One of the restrooms at work has the "airblade" hand dryer. If you get the chance to use one, you can appreciate the name.

I first encountered one of those machines in an airport restroom. I was tentative for a while since it involved sliding your hand up and down a slot that would then blast the air to dry the wetness. It was an interesting practice and sensation. I have used hand dryers before but the airblade attempts to minimize excess water drips on the floor. The airblade also has a relatively "milder" air blast. Still, if you let your imagination take the better of you, you could imagine feeling like something might suddenly grab you in the slot and your hands are no longer your own.

Anyway, I see the benefits of airblade's hygiene, savings in paper towels and absence of overflowing paper-filled trash cans.

However, I read from a product reviewer that the machine isn't very efficient for those who wash more than their hands in a restroom. For example, I have seen people wash their faces or hair in the sink, short of taking a full shower. For those folks, they probably need to bring their own towel, or at least check firsthand that the restroom that they are walking into still provides traditional paper towels for drying/sanitation purposes.

I think that the vagaries of human nature will still outlast technology.