How does an airzooka create and project a ball of air?

[FZ+]

I refer you to
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6727

Being poor and stuff, I can hardly manage to get my hands on one of these thing. (though maybe I can twist some arms over it...)

But I wonder though... how is this thing supposed to work. Is the "ball of air" it projects simply a case of blowing wind, or is it some wave. I'm guessing that it forms some sort of solition, which can hence propagate large distances with little dissipation.

Does anyone else know? Is there a way of making a homemade version? What is the speed of the projected ball? How is it affected by wind? Can it work in a different medium?

So many questions, so little time...

 

[wimms]

you really hate google, right?

Vortex generator.
http://www.yankeeclassic.com/web/bin03/stuff/howit.htm
http://iml.umkc.edu/physics/sps/projects/vortex/vortex.html

simplest "toy" to do it is your mouth: ever seen smoke rings made by smokers?

 

[The_Professional]

They look really fun:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/60b6/