The problem with people is people. It’s not that they’re necessarily bad, it’s just that in the city they’re more likely to carry around all sorts of bugs and illnesses, which we don’t want to inherit. But short of wearing one of those weird Japanese masks you see on the news now and then, how can you protect yourself?

Well one option could be this AirTamer Travel which is a portable air purifier which you wear on a lanyard around your neck. The makers seem to be selling it as a protection against those circulating aircraft bugs, but we’re not sure how effective it’s going to be against a plane full of coughing and sneezing.

Apparently the thing works by emitting a constant stream of negative ions which repel the nasty bugs and pollen away from your ‘personal space’. We have a feeling that this device may give you some protection as long as you try and avoid direct contact (apparently hands are the main transmitters of bugs from human to human, you shake hands, or open a door knob and then touch your face…bham!) but we just can’t see it stopping a full blown sneeze spat in your direction.

Anyway it’s probably better than one of those masks, eh? It runs on 2 watch batteries, and gives over 160 hours of use. Priced at $79.95.