The new Q fan looks more like a basketball than a fan, but using an internal turbofan it can actually blow about seven times more air than it sucks.
Presumably inspired by the futuristic-looking bladeless fans that Dyson has developed, Panasonic has decided to show the world that its product designers are just as capable at creating oddly shaped devices that can efficiently cool and refresh a room.
So what kind of scientific sorcery allows this bladeless fan to pump out more air than its pulling in through its intake? As you can see in that cutaway image the air moves through specially engineered channels after passing through a turbofan which increases its pressure. And as the air leaves the fan through a series of holes, the breeze it produces induces additional air flow around its outlets.
It not only makes the fan more efficient at moving warm or cold air around a room, it also means it can run quieter without a sacrifice in performance.
This new trend in highly engineered fans also means companies can charge more than they do for those cheap $30 fans you usually end up buying during a summer heat wave. Panasonic’s new Q fan will sell for just north of $330, but at least there’s some genuine innovation and design in there to help justify the cost.