A 5-blade electric shaver from Panasonic, "Palm-sized Shaver", has a unique design that has never been seen before. While the body fits into any environment, it is very unique that the shaver has no handle to hold on to. So we can say that it has redesigned the shaving experience.
Design is the keyword in the birth of this product. The design team envisioned what should be common in the future, and reverse-engineered it by their experiences, technologies, and expertise. No room for further improvement was allowed in the design or the functionality. We could see how challenging it was. We had an interview with the men who designed Palm-sized Shaver and who made it come true, Ushio Bessho and Ken-ichi Muraki respectively.
INDEX
- Reimagined the value of shaving.
- Uncompromising, even one millimeter. How he made the design possible.
- What they aimed for was perfection —every detail was cared for.
- Develop a product with a vision of the future and the life we want.
Reimagined the value of shaving
Ushio Bessho [Senior Designer]
Everything began with my ambition to reimagine what shaving is. Conventional electric shavers were evaluated based on how fast, closely, and gently they could shave beards. However, today, quite a few people choose devices based on their designs and how they fit into their lifestyles.
So, I thought that an electric shaver should not be just something to clean beards, but rather a device that could uplift us and enhance our quality of life by caring the skin. Thus, I reviewed and considered everything, including colors, textures, and size, to make it perfect.
Where the bold, no-handle design was born
Panasonic has an 'Advanced Design Review' annually, where we discuss proposals made by the design department with the business department and C-level executives. There, proposals that we concluded were promising would proceed to materialization with more detailed thoughts, and one such promising idea was Palm-sized Shaver, whose original prototype had been made by the technology department.
It was one of the products made with advanced technology in 2017, but it didn't attract attention at the time and was shelved until the design department found it.
Out of the prototype, we made several ideas, manufactured samples to make a proposal.
The market for electric shavers was already mature. It was obvious that we needed to make a breakthrough, and thus the business department, executives, and other people in the company were intrigued from day one. Another factor that attracted people was our technical advantage: no competitor could make such a compact electric shaver without compromising performance.
The body is more compact than ever, but it has blades made with the same technology used in crafting a Japanese sword, making them extremely sharp. It also features a powerful linear motor and incorporates advanced technologies inherited by Panasonic. It shaves beards closely and is much easier to use because the user holds the 'shaving part' directly, allowing a single stroke to clear the beard effectively.
A common electric shaver has a motor inside the handle, but our conventional models have a small linear motor in the head. This technology allowed us to get rid of the handle and make the iconic design unique to Panasonic.
Uncompromising, even one millimeter. How he made the design possible
Ken-ichi Muraki [Staff Engineer]
Ideas that designers come up with are often difficult to materialize. But it is no surprise because such ideas are brand new. Palm-sized Shaver especially attracted me, as the concept was unique, and the prototype was impressive and beautiful.
Palm-sized Shaver was made in an unusual flow where the design precedes the structure. One of the most challenging issues here was whether all the components could be put in the compact body. I reviewed the 3D data provided by designers and shared my feedback, such as, ‘This area looks fine, but this part does not have enough room.’ When we put the components in the body, we have to consider many things, like, ‘Never put something that generates heat close to the battery’ and ‘Durability requires a certain thickness.’ It is not just about making room.
Accordingly, I ask them to adjust the blueprint, seeking agreement. They sometimes flatly refused my alternative. As for the Palm-sized Shaver project, however, it was clear to me that the design should be kept at any cost, so I explored other possibilities.
The battery part was tricky. It is the second largest part after the motor, so I wanted to make it smaller to keep the body compact. I tried various small electric cells that are otherwise not commonly considered, like laminated batteries for smartphones. However, it turned out that the performance and safety were not sufficient, and we decided to use the usual battery.
I have to mention the circuit, too. Many electric shavers have one circuit board in them, but the Palm-sized Shaver does not have sufficient room for a single board. So, we divided the board into three parts to fit them into the body. This is an unusual approach and makes the manufacturing process challenging, so I asked the circuit design department to make it happen.
Develop a product with a vision of the future and the life we want
It took almost one year to finalize the specifications of Palm-sized Shaver after the project launch and another year to put it in the market because the team was so uncompromising. Many companies make a product with a strategy to make it sell well. They research consumer demands, and that is a correct way to materialize a product. On the other hand, developing a product with a vision of the future we want to live in and the possibility of enhancing people's quality of life is another way to create something new. This approach aligns with who we are and involves seeing the present from a future point of view.
The Palm-sized Shaver is a product whose design preceded its demand. This approach surely made us consider what is needed. Their uncompromising attitude towards everything, such as the size and marble pattern, focuses on providing the best user experience. The two men told us, "We will be happy if many users feel it in their hands. "
Muraki
"Hopefully shaving, which is often a nuisance every morning, can be something fun with Palm-sized Shaver."
Bessho
"It will be more rewarding than anything to us if Palm-sized Shaver becomes part of the lifestyles of people in the future."