Meet the bluetooth speaker of air purifiers

Over the last few years, we’ve all become more aware of what’s in the air we breathe—and for good reasons. Among them? The aerosol transmission of COVID-19, an increase in wildfire smoke, and the growing recognition that indoor air quality is worse than we realize. Bad air is as alarming as it is common. The American Lung Association estimates that two out of five Americans live in a place where air quality doesn’t meet U.S. standards. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says that 99% of the people on earth are inhaling air that exceeds its pollution guidelines. And this year, a study published in PLOS One found that particulates are “exceptionally high” on New York City subway platforms. (And let’s not forget about your coworker who routinely forgets deodorant.)  [Photo: Airinum] Short of going through life in a Hazmat suit, bad air seems practically impossible to avoid. Airinum, a Swedish health-tech company, has a solution: Hale, a $179 portable air purifier.  [Photo: Airinum] The designers at Airinum modeled the device after a Bluetooth speaker—something compact, unobtrusive, and portable—and it looks just like one, with a cylindrical shape and sleek aluminum casing. A HEPA and activated carbon filter inside cleanses the air of particles, allergens, mold, smells, and VOCs while a fan circulates it around you while blowing the carbon dioxide you exhale away from you. The entire thing can fit into a standard cup holder and it has a stand that can prop it up to direct airflow or be used to hang it on a wall. [Photo: Airinum] “Traditionally, air purifiers are clunky, utilitarian appliances—hidden away like vacuum cleaners,” Alexander Hjertström, the CEO and cofounder of Airinum, tells Fast Company. “Hale redefines air purification by creating a personal clean air zone.” The main design challenge here was scaling down all of the components, from the filter to the fan, and making the machine run quietly and efficiently. [Photo: Airinum] Hjertström views the product as something that helps people stay healthy. “It empowers health-conscious individuals to actively combat everyday toxins, just as they would carefully select what they eat, ensuring clean, crisp air to enhance vitality, longevity, and overall well-being,” he says.  Products like Hale are part of a growing category of personal devices that seek to offer some control of our environments. We wear noise-canceling headphones to mediate sound, carry filtration water bottles, and hand-held fans to beat the heat. Why not breathe a little easier too?