Dyson introduces the Dyson Zone, headphones with noise canceling support and an integrated but removable visor that fits in front of the lower half of the face. This section should provide a purified airflow to the nose and mouth.
The air purification of the Dyson Zone works via compressors in each ear cup. This allows air to be blown through the visor through double-layer filters in the direction of the mouth and nose of the user. Among other Engadget has been able to try out the headphones and reports that there are three manual modes for air purification and an automatic mode. The magnetic visor is said to be designed to diffuse the airflow to the nose and mouth, so that there is no feeling of excessive airflow. It would also be possible to wear face masks.
The development of this product already started before the corona pandemic and is mainly aimed at combating regular air pollution. Based on data from the World Health Organization, Dyson states that an estimated nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air that exceeds the limits of what is considered clean air. Dyson created an app that shows the air quality in the user’s region, but according to Engadget, that information didn’t go beyond the city level.
According to the company, the ear cups are designed to go completely over the user’s ears, which should help provide passive isolation from environmental noise. The material must also contribute to this, as must the active noise canceling based on an undisclosed number of microphones. This will create counter-sound in order to dampen low tones in particular.
There are three noise reduction modes: Isolation, Conversation and Transparency. The Conversation mode becomes active when the user pushes the mouthpiece away. The air purification mechanism is then disabled so that call participants should be more audible. Transparency mode is, as usual with such headphones, a function to let ambient noise through.
Dyson does not yet provide specific information about when the air purification headphones will be released and what price tag the product will have. The company lists the fall of this year as the introduction period, but that can vary by region. Full product specifications and other further details will be published sometime in the coming months.