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Dry air will freshen up long-haul travellers

       London: Researchers for aircraft manufacturer Airbus have developed a "refreshment cell" in their jets that would freshen up passengers with dry air instead of wetting them with water. Earlier this year, Boeing had filed a patent for an in-flight shower that bathes passengers in water mist. But the Airbus system promises to be easier to use, as passengers would not need to undress. The "refreshment cell" is a small chamber, like a toilet, containing a chair on a slow-moving turntable, surrounded by several air jets. The passenger will have to only sit in the chair and press a touch-screen panel to start it turning while each jet blast out a stream of high pressure air. The German inventors also suggest that the air temperature can be changed between warm and cool, with the passenger's choice of added scents. Loudspeakers might also play the sound of breaking waves while ambient lights also slowly change colour.
-Nov 14,  2006

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