No, this isn’t an April fool
Want the ultimate tool to avoid both air and noise pollution? Dyson thinks it has the answer in its first-ever wearable, which is part noise-canceling headphones and part air purifier. The new Dyson Zone is an odd-looking contraption, and it’s a particularly bizarre look for a pair of headphones, but it’s designed to make living in city spaces more comfortable by combining these two technologies.
The most curious element is the air purifier, which isn’t designed to touch your face. Engadget reports the Dyson Zone was in development before the pandemic began, so this doesn't act like a mask. The magnetic face visor instead sits in front of your mouth and nose. Dyson has shrunk its air filtration technology from its home products into this new portable design.
The air is pulled in through the headphone earpieces, and then it's filtered before being pumped through to your mouth and nose. That technology also monitors how fast you’re moving, adjusting the airflow accordingly. The aim is always to give you 5 liters of clean air per second.
If you don’t want the face visor, you can unclip it and just use the headphones like a traditional pair of over-ear cans. If you’re in a situation where you need a face mask, Dyson is working on an attachment that will make the visor into one of those that is appropriate with an FFP2 filter.
Chief engineer, Jake Dyson, said, “Air pollution is a global problem – it affects us everywhere we go. 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.”
The headphones themselves feature nose-cancellation technology, but we’ve yet to hear about the specifics. Battery life lasts around four and a half hours at the lowest purification level, and 90 minutes when it is at its maximum. If you’re just using these as headphones, expect them to last around 40 hours from a single charge. They recharge via USB-C, and Dyson claims it’ll charge up from zero to 60% in 20 minutes.
Dyson has revealed the design and the first details for the Zone, but we’ve yet to hear how much it’ll cost or exact specifications until later in the year. That’s also when we expect to hear about the release date, and where you'll be able to buy these. Dyson chose a particularly odd day to reveal these headphones with April Fools' Day just two days away, but the company has confirmed on Twitter that this is a real product.
James is the Managing Editor of Android Police, where he helps the team cover everything mobile technology and beyond. He works across news, features, reviews, buyer’s guides, and more. If Android Police writes about it, you can expect him to be involved in some way. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor at TechRadar, where he covered the latest developments in smartphones and wearables for the best part of a decade. And, yes, that means he used to use an iPhone for a bit. Based in London, James has appeared on BBC News, Al Jazeera, and other TV networks, podcasts, and radio shows as an expert on the latest technology trends. He was also the first reporter to reveal the return of the Motorola Razr brand for the company’s series of foldable phones. When not thinking about gadgets, you’ll find him watching an extraordinary amount of films, eating his way through London’s best (affordable) restaurants, or playing Hitman 3 through for the 47th time.