Dyson chief engineer, Jake Dyson has unveiled the Dyson Zone air purifying headphones – a set of noise cancelling over-ear headphones that simultaneously deliver purified airflow to the nose and mouth.
The product is a result of over a decade of air quality research and development and is designed to respond to urban issues of air quality and noise pollution.
“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 fresh air without touching your face, using high-performance filters and two miniaturised air pumps. After six years in development, we’re excited to deliver pure air and pure audio, anywhere,” Jake Dyson said.
The compressors in each earcup draw air through dual-layer filters and project two streams of purified air to the wearer’s nose and mouth, channelled through the non-contact visor. Sculpted returns on the visor ensure purified airflow is kept near to the nose and mouth and diluted as little as possible by external crosswinds.
The Dyson Zone simultaneously delivers immersive audio thanks to advanced active noise cancelling (ANC), low distortion and a neutral frequency response, to replicate audio as the creator intended.
Going beyond existing testing methods, Dyson engineers used a breathing manikin fitted with medical-grade mechanical lungs and sensing equipment, which ‘inhales’ pollution replicating human breathing patterns in a controlled chamber. They then measure the pollution level within the nose and throat to determine the filtration efficacy of those particles.
Dyson’s first foray into audio saw engineers take a scientific approach led by metrics, backed with extensive listening trials. Dyson engineers developed a high performing neodymium electroacoustic system within each earcup promising a wide frequency response, precise left-right balance and significantly lower distortion.
Detailed research into head and face geometries meant engineers could measure how the Dyson Zone air purifying headphones would sit and perform on different heads – informing the clamp force of the headband, the geometry and materials of the visor, and the adjustability of the machine. Taking inspiration from the shape and design of a horse’s saddle, the Dyson Zone is engineered to distribute weight over the sides of the head, rather than on the top.
App development and integration were critical to ensure smooth connection and provide air and noise pollution tracking features. Full product specification and further details on local availability of the Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones will be announced in the coming months.