Dyson puts on the anti-pollution helmet: a successful bet?

The day of October 14, devoted to air quality, is an opportunity to make a sad observation. In most places where pollution had fallen sharply in the spring of 2020, we are now reaching new heights. Ozone, lead, sulfur dioxide, fine particles… In the big cities, the alerts follow one another. Almost all of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). A situation that leads to many premature deaths every year and pushes tech players to venture a little more into the field of health.

A first significant step had already been taken with the arrival of connected watches capable of monitoring our heart rate. With the future generation of devices, new perspectives are opening up: those of being able to breathe purified air, and perhaps one day of protecting oneself from certain viruses. But nothing is done yet because these devices with a very particular look will have to seduce consumers. A challenge met.

The Singaporean manufacturer Razer, known for its product lines aimed at video game enthusiasts, has already broken its teeth in this market. Its Zephyr mask, announced with great fanfare in March 2021, was supposed to protect us from both Covid-19 and the harmful particles that surround us. However, its commercialization was a failure. It is no longer possible to order it and its manufacturer does not want to go back on this setback. On the Internet, only traces of a “bad buzz” remain, Razer having never succeeded in obtaining an FFP2 type certification from the health authorities.

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Will Dyson be more successful? The British manufacturer, best known in France for its high-end cordless vacuum cleaners, is taking a risk by venturing into the portable electronics segment. But he dismisses – for the moment – the virus part in order to devote himself to the filtering of suspended particles such as PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or even pollen, responsible for many allergies. And its two-step purification system fits into headphones, the use of which is already highly democratized.

In concrete terms, the Dyson Zone sucks in ambient air at the level of the ear cups. Once rid of impurities, it is transported to a removable visor placed at the level of the mouth before being projected towards the face. Designed primarily for journeys from home to office, the helmet also incorporates an effective noise reduction system.

Equipping yourself with this kind of device provides a mixed feeling. On the one hand, Dyson has taken care of the ergonomics of its product. The helmet, although a little heavy due to the presence of batteries in the upper part, proves to be pleasant to wear. The visor, which does not come into contact with the face, attaches and detaches easily. It can also be lowered to allow the user to speak unhindered. The jet of air, the strength of which can be configured, is like a refreshing breeze. And with noise reduction or music, it’s easy to put yourself in your bubble.

A very (too?) futuristic design

The design, on the other hand, seems straight out of an apocalyptic future. And even if Dyson has made the visor slightly reflective so that it blends in better with the decor, you can’t help but feel ridiculous equipped like this. From the first minutes of testing, several questions come to mind: will the slight smell of plastic detected in the airflow disappear over time? Isn’t the visor attachment system too fragile? Will I have to change the filters several times a year (instead of once) if my journeys pass through excessively polluted areas?

On all these aspects, Dyson wants to be reassuring: before its marketing in 2023, the product will still benefit from several improvements. But certain limits are already appearing: the helmet will not protect us from viruses. It is also not designed to accompany its users in their sports practices, the filtration system being incompatible with excessively rapid human breathing.

“It’s definitely a gamble,” says Alex Knox, vice president of new product introduction at Dyson. The design will not appeal to everyone. But the starting point is this problem of air pollution which affects almost the entire population. Moreover, habits are changing: who would have thought a few years ago that we would wear the mask so much in Western countries?

The first tests carried out with the helmet in the streets and the underground of London are encouraging. The device would not have caused any particular reactions in the entourage of the wearer, assures a spokesperson for the brand. Behind the scenes, the Dyson teams are counting at least on a good take-off of their product in Asia where the population is more aware of air pollution and the use of the mask more frequent. “There, the enthusiasm for tech products is undeniable and the events organized by the brand are a great success”, we confide internally.

Certainly, the price of the Dyson Zone, necessarily premium given the positioning of the brand, will put off some of the customers. “It is not uncommon to see a year pass between the release of a device and the take-off of its sales, the time that word-of-mouth takes place, and that the product is found on gift lists” confirms a brand specialist. It will therefore be necessary to be patient before being able to assess the success of this futuristic helmet, which will only hit the shelves next year. But Alex Knox is convinced: a new market is emerging.