Indian student creates world’s smallest vacuum cleaner from a pen

A 23-year-old Indian student, Tapala Nadamuni, has reclaimed a Guinness World Record by designing the world’s smallest vacuum cleaner, measuring just 0.65 cm (0.25 in), smaller than the width of a pinkie fingernail. This new creation breaks the previous record set in 2022, which was 0.2 cm larger.

Tapala, who first held the title in 2020 with a 1.76 cm vacuum, spent two years and two failed attempts trying to regain his title. “I came with a completely new design,” he explained, after preparing over 50 schematic diagrams to ensure the vacuum met strict criteria. The device, built primarily from a ballpoint pen, includes a tiny fan powered by a four-volt motor, generating suction capable of picking up dust particles.

The project cost around 20,000 rupees (£181; $238), and Tapala shared his excitement in reclaiming the title, saying, “All the students in our college were amazed at this tiny vacuum cleaner, and my faculty told me that it’s the most beautiful creation they’ve ever seen.”