Dyson is launching air-purifying headphones in 2022, marking the brandâs
first step into wearable technology that tackles air quality and noise
pollution issues.
The announcement:
Jake Dyson has unveiled the Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones, Dysonâs
first step into wearable technology. The Dyson Zone⢠is a set of noise
cancelling, high fidelity over-ear headphones which simultaneously deliver
immersive sound to the ears, and purified airflow to the nose and mouth. The
result of over a decade of air quality research and development, the Dyson
Zone⢠air purifying headphones simultaneously tackle the urban issues of air
quality and noise pollution.
As the worldâs urban population continues to grow, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) estimates that 9 in 10 people globally breathe air that
exceeds WHO guideline pollutant limits1. Where NO2 pollution in cities
decreased during the Covid-19 pandemic2, levels have quickly returned to
normal, or exceeded pre-pandemic levels across many global cities3. It is
estimated that more than 100m people are exposed to long-term noise exposure
above WHO guidance4.
Jake Dyson, chief engineer said: âAir pollution is a global problem â 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 Zoneâ¢
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 miniaturised air pumps. After six years in development, weâre excited
to deliver pure air and pure audio, anywhere.â
Six years & 500 prototypes
The Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones are borne of Dysonâs 30 years of
expertise in airflow, filtration and motors technologies and deep understanding
of indoor and outdoor air quality. The compressors in each earcup draw air
through the dual-layer filters and project two streams of purified air to the
wearerâs 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 Zoneâ¢
delivers rich, immersive audio and relief from unwanted city noise thanks to
advanced active noise cancelling (ANC), low distortion and a neutral frequency
response, to faithfully replicate music or audio as the creator intended.
Originally a snorkel-like clean air mouthpiece paired with a backpack to hold
the motor and inner workings, the Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones
evolved dramatically over its six years in development. More than 500
prototypes saw one motor initially placed at the nape become two compressors,
one in each ear-cup and the evolution of the snorkel mouthpiece into an
effective, contact-free visor that delivers clean air without full-face contact
â a brand-new clean air delivery mechanism.
Developing a non-contact solution was a must for Dyson engineers, to avoid the
discomfort and irritation often associated with full-contact alternatives. The
visor, therefore, was a critical element. The airflow pathways and visor design
are central to delivering pure air. The geometries of the visor and the visor
returns, alongside the central mesh that diffuses the two jets of airflow,
ensure that the purified air exiting the filters is effectively delivered to
the nose and mouth in crosswinds, and for the wearerâs specific facial shape.
Going beyond existing testing methods, Dyson engineers use a breathing manikin
fitted with medical-grade mechanical lungs and sensing equipment, which
âinhalesâ 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 which would otherwise end
up in Frankâs artificial lung.
Precision-engineered compressors within the earcups draw air through the
dual-layer filters, intelligently designed to fit within the considerable space
constraints of a headphone. The negatively charged electrostatic filter media
captures ultrafine particles such as allergens, and particles from sources such
as brake dust, industry combustion and construction whilst a potassium-enriched
carbon layer captures city gas pollutants like NO2 and SO2. The compressor
channels the purified air to the wearerâs nose and mouth via the contact-free
visor, formed with flexible returns that to channel the flow of purified air to
the wearerâs nose and mouth.
A scientific approach
A first foray into the world of audio, Dyson engineers took a scientific
approach, choosing not to rely on a âgolden listenerâ approach that many
others do. Dysonâs team of audio engineers and acousticians sought to
engineer excellent audio led by metrics, backed up with extensive listening
trials. The result: pure, rich audio and advanced noise cancellation. Despite
the space constraints inherent with a wearable device, Dyson engineers
developed a high performing neodymium electroacoustic system within each
earcup. A wide frequency response, precise left-right balance and distortion
significantly below what can be detected by the human ear, offer a faithful
reproduction as the musicians or creators intended.
Through solving a problem of Dysonâs own creation, the engineers have
developed an advanced noise cancellation system. Together, the deviceâs
passive attenuation and the ANC, with its unique array of microphones, reduce
unwanted environmental noise and motor tones to provide advanced noise
cancellation at home, at work and on-the-go. Large, angled ear cushions mould
around the listenerâs ear, with a foam density and headband clamp force
engineered specifically for both comfort and optimal noise reduction.
Engineered for comfort
Every head on the planet is unique. As Dysonâs first wearable, Dyson
engineers had to think about comfort in a new way. Detailed research into head
and face geometries meant engineers could measure how the Dyson Zone⢠air
purifying headphones would sit on and perform on different headsâ informing
the clamp force of the headband, the geometry and materials of the visor, the
adjustability of the machine and much more.
Taking inspiration from the shape and design of a horseâs saddle, the Dyson
Zone⢠is engineered to distribute weight over the sides of the head, rather
than on the top. A saddle typically curves over the horseâs spine
distributing the load through contact with the areas left and right of the
backbone â a format used for the central cushion on the headband.
The development of the ear cushions is important for three reasons: comfort,
on-head stability and passive attenuation. Foam is an obvious choice for ear
cushions but Dyson engineers dug deep into the make-up of different foams to
choose the most suitable material based on density, rate of compression and
spring-back rate â all of which change the way pressure translates onto the
head. When choosing the optimal foam for the ear and headband cushions, it was
important to balance the comfort it provides, its stability when moulded to the
ear, but critically the acoustic benefit it provides. Moulding around the ear
increases the size of the contact points providing better sealing â and
inhibiting additional urban noise entering the ear. The cushion is purposefully
flatter than conventional ear cushions for both attenuation and comfort, and
the cushions are angled in line with the angle of the ear on the head for
optimal comfort.
A global effort
The Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones have been engineered by teams across
the UK, Singapore, Malaysia and China, with a particular focus on software on
our South East Asia campuses. The app development and integration was a
critical project to ensure a smooth connection journey and provide intelligent,
meaningful air and noise pollution tracking features. Robustness and durability
are central to a product that leaves the home with the wearer. As with all
Dyson machines, the Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones have been tested to
the extremes â in temperature-controlled chambers, drop-testing, material,
button robustness and much more. Our expert test engineers in the Dyson
Malaysia Development Centre are integral to this, as is the geography â
putting it through its paces in warmer climates and higher humidity compared to
UK-based testing.
The Dyson Zone⢠air-purifying headphones full product specification and
further details on local availability will be announced in the coming months.
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