Dyson has announced a pair of wireless headphones that double up as an air purifier, and they look as ridiculous as they sound. Known for its vacuum cleaners, Dyson is a Singapore-based multinational company that announced plans to enter the EV space in 2019 before ending the program later the same year. Dyson also designs and sells air purifiers, and is now incorporating that technology in its new wearable product.
Air pollution is a big problem in many cities around the world, and air purifiers are designed to make the air more breathable in indoor spaces. With asthma and other respiratory diseases on the rise, especially among children and other vulnerable populations, air purifiers are becoming a necessity for many. Dyson wants to offer a solution with a unique product that looks straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Named Dyson Zone, the new cyborg-style wearable includes a pair of noise-canceling, hi-fidelity, over-ear, Bluetooth headphones with an attached air purifier that looks like a visor, covering the nose and mouth area. Dyson says that the device sucks in air through tiny compressors placed in each earpiece, and then filters that air before channeling it through the visor for the wearer to breathe. The visor is also designed to enable the wearer to breathe in as much of the purified air as possible, without much dilution by external crosswinds. As for the audio quality, the headphones come with active noise cancellation (ANC) and a neutral frequency response that claims to offer natural audio without distortion.
Dyson says that the Zone has been in development for the past 6 years, with over 500 prototypes having been created. The program has seen several design changes during this period, with some of the more notable ones being the evolution of the dual-compressor air purifier technology and the new contact-free 'snorkel mouthpiece,' which the company claims will help avoid the "discomfort and irritation associated with full-contact alternatives". The company also says that it believes the new product will make it more comfortable for people to live in cities, despite the increased levels of pollution.
One of the key features of the Dyson Zone is the modular design, which means users can take off the visor if they're indoors and want to use just the headphones without needing the purified air. The visor is attached to the headphones using a series of magnets, which makes it easy to attach or detach when required. The visor also has hinges that allow it to be flipped down when talking to people. It also comes with different setting levels that allow users to increase or decrease the airflow based on their breathing. Users can turn up the setting while going for a run, or turn it down when sitting on a park bench.
While Dyson's latest product definitely makes a compelling case for people living in polluted urban areas, its bizarre design might put off more than a few potential buyers. Many users on Twitter even assumed the product was an elaborate April Fool's joke, but the company was forced to admit otherwise. That said, a personal air purifier that offers pure air on the go is a novel concept, so it will be interesting to see which markets Dyson is targetting. Dyson hasn't announced the exact specifications, pricing, or a concrete launch date for the Zone, but has confirmed they will available for purchase in Autumn 2022.
Source: Dyson, Dyson/Twitter
