In 2016, Dyson entered the beauty segment with its Supersonic hair dryer At a global launch in Seoul today, founder James Dyson unveiled its latest evolution, the Supersonic Nural

Described as "Dyson's most intelligent hair dryer," the Nural features three new smart settings and new special attachments for curly and wavy hair

Dyson's latest tool uses a network of "Nural" sensors to activate heat modes, recognize the user's head, and apply preferred settings The company also claims that these sensors improve the styling experience, enhance hair shine, and prevent heat damage

A particularly interesting new feature is the Scalp Protect mode This mode automatically lowers the heat to 55°C, the optimal temperature for scalp comfort and drying speed, as the dryer approaches the scalp Thanks to a time-of-flight sensor, the dryer emits an invisible infrared beam to measure the distance between the user's head and the dryer For clarity, however, the dryer emits a yellow light from the end caps to indicate that this mode is actually on

The illumination also changes color to indicate different heat settings; the color of the LED light flashes between cool blue, yellow (low heat), orange (medium heat), and red (high heat), depending on the heat setting, machine-to-head distance, and learned user preference

Having actually used the dryer at a press event last week, switching between heat modes was very easy Additionally, there is a separate switch at the top of the end cap if you don't want to activate the scalp protector every time you use the device The switch is fairly seamless and, as with the previous model, the airflow and heat settings are excellent

The Supersonic Nural also introduces a new pause detection mode that turns off the heat and reduces airflow and noise when the dryer is put down According to Dyson, this mode is ideal for when you want to part your hair while styling or when you want to have a conversation over the dryer

Trying out the pause detection mode myself, I was amazed The dryer goes nearly silent and limits the heat and airflow to within one millisecond of being placed This feature will be a lifesaver for products (powder, cosmetics, etc) that are left on counter space or when you need to take a break while drying your hair (because sometimes it absolutely feels like a hassle)

Another smart feature of Nural is the newly learned configuration preferences that match the new and improved attachments When a user inserts an attachment, the device picks up styling preferences and remembers the last heat and airflow settings used by the user for each attachment From there, the dryer is expected to apply these settings the next time the attachment is used

Speaking of new attachments, Dyson has designed a new Wave+Curl diffuser that helps define and shape natural hair patterns in two different modes The attachment can be used in "Dome" mode by taking out the protruding insert, which promotes elongated waves with a reversible swirling airflow In the "diffuse" mode, the protruding insert sends airflow to the roots to create deeper, more defined curls

Surprisingly, the new Supersonic model does not debut with the usual iron/fuchsia colorway we have seen in previous products It features a new built-in sensor and a new transparent end cap to showcase the technology inside, as seen on Dyson's latest stick vacuum cleaners, and comes in two vibrant colorways: ceramic patina/topaz and vinca blue/topaz

The Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer, which will be pre-launched in Australia, will go on sale at midnight on Thursday, April 11, 2024 It will be priced at A$749 (about $491/£385) and will come with five attachments and will be available with other accessories In terms of price, the Supersonic Nural costs A$100 more than the standard model, but the added intelligent features and new technology (although hard to swallow for a hair dryer) make the inflated price more palatable It will be available in the US and UK later this year