Industrial design firm Dyson has unveiled a cordless vacuum cleaner for hard floors that sucks up dirt and wipes the surface at the same time.

The Dyson Hard combines a suction nozzle for dust and small particles with a wet wipe for mopping up spills, so hoovering and wiping the floor can be done in one round.

The shell of the machine is made from the same material used for riot shields and the wand is lightweight aluminium.

Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the vacuum runs for 15 minutes before it needs recharging. There's also a boost setting that lasts for six minutes.

The wand can be removed when hoovering tight spaces or tidying up the car. Wipes for the device can be changed suit to different floor surfaces.

Read on for more information from Dyson:

Hard floors just got easier. Dyson's latest cordless technology vacuums dirt and wipes grime - in one action.

Hard floor cleaning is inefficient. First you vacuum, and then you clean the floors again to remove grime. Engineered for hard floor cleaning, the Dyson Hard vacuum cleaner combines powerful suction with a wet wipe to remove dust and grime in one action. A double-edge cleaner head sucks up dirt and debris with each stroke, leaving the wipe to remove grime.

Busy lifestyles mean that people don't have time to clean floors twice. Steam cleaning has its own problems, bound to a cord, waiting for steam. All in all, time consuming and inefficient.

James Dyson: "Good technology should make everyday tasks quicker and easier. Dyson's high-speed motor technology has enabled Dyson engineers to develop a cordless machine capable of vacuuming dirt and wiping away grime simultaneously. One machine doing two jobs, in one action."

DC56's double edged cleaner head can be removed, adding a crevice and combination tool for up-top, down below, hard-to-reach and in-between spaces. Remove the wand for cleaning cars and worktops.

Dyson digital motor

Powered by the Dyson digital motor V2, which is one third of the size of conventional motors, yet spins at 104,000rpm. This power dense motor allows the Dyson Hard vacuum cleaner to be compact and light with high performance.

Root Cyclone technology

Dyson's patented Root Cyclone technology has been concentrated, spinning dust and dirt out of the air using centrifugal force.

Fade-free battery

A lithium-ion battery delivers 15 minutes of fade free performance. For stubborn dirt, there is a boost setting for 6 minutes of high intensity cleaning.

Materials

Dyson engineers used materials that would stand up to tough abuse in real home environments. The machine's body is made from ABS Polycarbonate – the same material found in riot shields. Dyson engineers designed a reinforced wand, made from aluminium, to allow for extra push force in picking up grime.

Wipes

Dyson engineers worked with scientists to develop wipes for the machine. Two different wipes are available with DC56 – Hard floor and Wood nourishing. Each wipe is designed for different hard floor surfaces, and different tasks. The machine is also compatible with industry standard sized wipes found in most stores.