Dyson has long invested in filtration technologies and more recently into research on air quality as a broader phenomenon. We believe that the first step to solving the global air quality problem is awareness and empowerment – equipping global populations with local data about the air quality they are exposed to and empowering them to make educated decisions to reduce air pollution exposure. It is critically important to work with academic institutions and support the research of leading scientists to drive the knowledge we have as a society about the air we breathe. Ultimately this will enable individuals to make meaningful changes to their daily lives.
Over the last two years, Dyson has taken air quality education to the streets – literally. By re-working existing sensing technology used in our air purifiers, we engineered a prototype air quality backpack that acts as a portable air sensing device, collecting air pollution data on the move. Equipped with on-board sensors, a battery pack and GPS, the portable technology aims to provide an insight into personal exposure to air pollution and how to avoid it. This year alone, participants in more than 14 cities globally have used Dyson’s air quality backpack to collect air quality data, generating snapshots of their personal pollutant exposure. Some of these participants will be part of Dyson’s global lockdown study, comparing personal air pollution exposure during, and after local Coronavirus lockdowns.