（Anyone who has experienced the joy of driving through a rainstorm with the sunroof (天窗) open understands how airflow around the moving vehicles can keep him dry despite the exposure. Now a similar principle is being employed to create an umbrella that protects people from the rain using nothing more than an invisible air force field.

Air Umbrella, developed by a Chinese company and recently funded by Kickstarter, uses forced air rather than fabric to create a protective canopy that keeps people from getting wet in the rain.

It’s a clever concept and designers have done a good job of answering several questions about the product. For instance, the sound generated by the device is minimal, especially when compared to the pitter-patter of the falling rain. It can create a protective canopy wide enough for two people to fit under and it performs well even in the heavy rain. The air shield (防护) can be cut through by high winds, but given that regular umbrellas typically fold over in similar windy conditions, the air umbrella is still an upgrade.

A few concerns do remain, however. For instance, the battery life is only about 15-30 minutes depending on the model, so you’ll still want to walk briskly to your next destination when it’s raining. Also, while the air shield might keep the rain away from you, it’s likely to splash all that blown-away water onto anyone else like a sprinkler (洒水车). So the device might draw the ire of anyone else walking with you, or any helpless bystanders.

There are currently three different types to choose from if you’re interested in investing. Air Umbrella-A is the lightest model, and is apparently designed specifically for females, according to the Chinese developers. It is about 12 inches in length and weighs a little over a pound, and it runs for 15 minutes per charge. Air Umbrella-B measures nearly 20 inches long and weighs 1.7 pounds, and lasts 30 minutes per charge. Finally, Air Umbrella-C also lasts 30 minutes, but is scalable between 20 and 32 inches depending on your needs.