Vacuum cleaners, hair tools, and now… over-ear headphones that also purify the polluted city air around you. They’re Dyson’s latest product, its first foray into wearable tech, Dyson Zone, announced by the firm this week (and yes, despite the timing, confirmed not to be an April Fool’s Day gag).
Unlike anything else Dyson has released before, the Dyson Zone is the result of over a decade of air quality research and development, aimed at tackling issues of both noise pollution and poor air quality.
Large, plush headphones cancel the noise around you and play music or podcasts from a Bluetooth-connected device, while an attachable, plastic, mask-type contraption fastened across the wearer’s mouth delivers purified air to their mouth and nose.
“Air pollution is a global problem — it affects us everywhere we go,” says Chief engineer Jake Dyson. “In our homes, at school, at work and as we travel, whether on foot, on a bike or by public or private transport. The Dyson Zone purifies the air you breathe on the move. And unlike face masks, it delivers a plume of fresh air without touching your face.”
Using the company’s 30 years of expertise in airflow, filtration and motors technologies, as well as its in-depth understanding of indoor and outdoor air quality, the headphones have sensors that detect how fast the wearer is moving and then automatically adjust the airflow between three intensity levels to ensure they’re delivering up to 5 litres of clean air a second — the equivalent breathing rate of a jog.
An air quality sensor also monitors pollution levels around you and sends the data to an app on your phone, telling you when to replace the filters, which should last for up to 12 months, depending on how polluted the environment is.
As for the Dyson Zone’s design, engineers took inspiration from the shape and design of a horse’s saddle. Like a saddle, which curves over the horse’s spine distributing the load, the headphones distribute weight over the sides of the head, rather than on the top.
The ear cushions are made with foam tested for the best density, rate of compression and spring-back rate – all of which provide ideal pressure to the head and delivery of acoustics. Moulding around the ear increases the size of the contact points providing better sealing — and inhibiting additional urban noise entering the ear.
The Dyson Zone will be available to buy later this year, but no price tag has been shared yet.
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