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Shelter from the rain just got high-tech and invisible. A research and development team from China has come up with a battery-operated Air Umbrella, which creates a shield against rainfall via a jet airflow.
The gadget may seem like something out of a James Bond movie, and though it's still in the R&D stages, it is gaining popularity on Kickstarter. The Air Umbrella has surpassed its $10,000 Kickstarter fundraising goal with over $33,000 in support from over 275 backers.
Two models run on a 30-minute battery life -- not ideal for long commutes in a downpour, but the creators say they are working on improving that. The very visible (and bulky) base resembles a flashlight. Several versions provide options for a range of consumers.
The "b" or basic umbrella is about 20 inches long and weighs over a pound and a half, while the women's "a" version is smaller, at about a foot long and just over a pound, with only a 15 minute battery life. The scalable "c" product, which can be shortened from 31 inches to about 20 inches, is slightly heavier at 1.87 pounds.