Dyson’s new Zone air-purifying headphones look like something you’d expect to see in a dystopian sci-fi movie, maybe even on the …
Dyson’s new Zone air-purifying headphones look like something you’d expect to see in a dystopian sci-fi movie, maybe even on the head of a Batman villain. But it’s actually a real device you’ll be able to buy sometime this fall, Dyson says. For Dyson — a company that’s best known for its high-end vacuum cleaners — it’s the first foray into wearable technology. The Zone is a set of noise-canceling, over-ear headphones that «simultaneously deliver immersive sound to the ears and purified airflow to the nose and mouth,» addressing the «urban issues of air quality and noise pollution.» No word yet on pricing, but it seems safe to assume that these will cost more than your typical premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose and Sony, and maybe even more than Apple’s AirPods Max headphones. There’ve been rumors that Dyson was working on such a device for years. Back in 2018, Bloomberg reported that Dyson was working on an air purifier-headphone combo and in 2020, Dyson applied for a patent for a new pair of headphones with a built-in air filter. «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,» says Jake Dyson, chief engineer (and son of the company’s eponymous founder). «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 high-performance filters and two miniaturized air pumps.
