Jackson Free Press

Ten years ago in a small apartment, a frustrated husband in a tank top, shorts and flip-flops waited on his wife to finish drying her hair in the living room on a hot, humid summer Mississippi day. That man, Martin McCurtis Sr., is the creator of the momentum dryer. McCurtis, 42, saw a need for women to have comfort and cut drying time.

"There is not another hair dryer on Earth that can compare to the Momentum hair dryer," McCurtis says. "The dryer cuts hair-drying time in half. It is really going to help a lot of people out when it gets on the market."

McCurtis became ill with Crohn's disease in 1996 while attending Jackson State University. He developed diabetes after a surgery for the disease and had to leave before completing his degree because of it. McCurtis lives in Jackson with his wife LaToya McCurtis and son Martin McCurtis Jr.

The dryer uses basic evaporation principles to enhance the drying process. While regular driers direct hot air onto the user, McCurtis' invention directs hot air up away from the user and has an exhaust fan that expels excess humidity. This process draws fresh air into the breathing space of the user and more than halves drying time compared to standard driers.

McCurtis is in need of donors in order to finish his project, which is still a prototype. He has created an account page for any donations at indiegogo.com/momentumdryer, which will become active tonight.

It will cost about $100,000 to create the molds for the unit, as well as $25,000 to $35,000 to create the final engineering of the design. McCurtis says that if he had a little under $200,000, he could move forward with the drye, and would be able to sell the invention to retail stores and do infomercials.

McCurtis says the dryer is something he has been working passionately on for a long time and that women need. He believes that it is the best thing for the hair industry.

For information visit the momentum dryer website or follow McCurtis on Twitter @ dryermomentum.