By Leo Lutero, Source: PSFK

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Umbrellas are the best until you enter the building. By then you have a soaking wet piece of fabric to carry around you. That is why this idea by Chuan Wang, an inventor from Nanjing, China, is just so good. Also, it looks a lot like magic.

The device looks like a wand (what else) and is comprised of three major segments. The switch and control part sits at the bottom, a big lithium battery in the middle and a functional head with the air pump mechanism on top. When turned on, the functional head spews out air in all directions, with a force enough to change the course of raindrops. The controls at the bottom include a knob you can turn to change the speed of airflow. A strong airflow means a bigger umbrella diameter that could accommodate more people.

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The first functional prototype was created in November 2012. However, it wasn’t entirely usable. The Air Umbrella’s Kickstarter recalls that the amount of airflow needed created a prototype which was too big.

From there, Wang took to seeking help from PhD students from his locale. Graduates of both the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Nanjing University were able to improve the design and create a more portable umbrella.

Read the full article at: PSFK