Dyson reveals the innovations that never were
DYSON is marking its coming of age 21st birthday with a sneak peak at the inventions that did not quite make it.
The company, best known for its revolutionary vacuum cleaners and bladeless fan, has revealed one design that didn’t make it to market back in 2001 was a virtual reality headset, similar to Google Glass.
Two other big ideas were the Diesel Trap – a diesel engine with technology to clean the air – and the Dyson Fuel Cell – a digital motor at the heart of a fuel cell which could increase performance while reducing size.
Dyson, which recently said it would spend £250m on expansion and aims to increase its research and development (R&D) spending to £4m a week, said the firm has over 4,000 patent applications for more than 500 inventions.
Secrecy always in mind, projects are given a code and protected by biometric security at Dyson’s R&D headquarters in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
So, until now, Dyson’s “augmented reality goggle set featuring colour 3D, heads-up display”, was better known as “Halo” or “N066”.
Dyson said: “It was a mobile phone-sized device that could be carried in the user’s pocket, but which worked as a communications device and PC.
“After three years of research and development the project was put on hold so that Dyson engineers could focus on expanding Dyson technology into the USA.”
PROFILE: DYSON’S 21 YEARS OF DISCOVERY
1993
DC01, the first Dyson vacuum cleaner, launches in the UK.
1995
Dyson moves to Malmesbury after outgrowing its facilities in Chippenham.
1996
Rapid growth meant that the site had to be expanded almost immediately and the current facilities were built.
2001
Dyson begins work on Dyson Halo (N066), an augmented reality goggle set.
2002
Dyson moved final assembly to South East Asia due to a lack of expansion room in Malmesbury
2013
Dyson opened a new Dyson fully-automated, digital motor production line in Singapore. The facility produces 8m motors a year.
2014
Dyson celebrates its 21st Birthday and announces the largest expansion in its history. A £250m expansion will see the creation of 3,000 new jobs, new technology development and increased R&D.