Companies like AirPop are using sensors and style to make their masks more attractive.
AirPop
This story is part of CES, where our editors will present the latest news and the hottest gadgets from CES 2021 entirely virtual.
The coronavirus pandemic is getting worse, not getting better, and world leaders are warning that this winter will be difficult. During CES consumer technology fair this week, companies offered several ways to protect people from coronavirus using ultraviolet lamps, air filters and vital sign sensors. But the higher profile new ideas were masks.
There were masks designed with censors to track the breath. Other masks are transparent so you can see the user’s mouth. There are even a few to help you make a call.
“Now that we are well and truly established in this new normal, we see the need for masks that are safe, social and sustainable,” said Charlie Bolton, head of design for the gaming lifestyle brand Razer, in a video. His team created a mask concept that he calls “the smartest mask in the world”, with features like lighting, microphone and speaker.
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Technology at CES to deal with the spread of coronavirus
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In many ways, the technology industry’s move to create these masks couldn’t have come at a better time. Coronavirus infections and deaths are emerging around the world. Just over a year after the coronavirus was first detected in China, the virus infected more than 92 million people worldwide and killed more than 2 million.
But just adding technology to a mask or some other tool to fight disease is not enough. That is why some of the most interesting technology products shown at CES never make it to the market. At a time when people need as many tools as possible to fight the pandemic, I hope that some of these technologies will really help.
Below is a list of the most interesting technology-enabled masks we’ve seen so far.
MaskFone
MaskFone helps us work while staying safe.
Binatone
What else do you need to hear? MaskFone, made by Binatone, is a $ 50 washable mask with an integrated Bluetooth headset. The goal is to help get rid of that muffled sound. The mask is classified as N95, which means that it can filter 95% of the particles including bacteria and viruses.
MaskFone lasts 12 hours on a charge, which should be enough for you to handle even the most tiring conference calls.
(Before you ask, it’s not made by the same company that created the TV hat that comedian Stephen Colbert founded in 2011. Although his segment in it has made the hat one of CES’s successes.)
Did I laugh at the idea of Maskfone, a mask with an integrated Bluetooth headset? Of course yes.
Am I using one in the last two hours for meetings while I wait for my car to be serviced? Of course yes. pic.twitter.com/fT1B49JwXo
– Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) December 1, 2020
AirPop Active Plus
AirPop Active Plus with its accompanying application.
AirPop
AirPop is positioning its AirPop Active Plus mask as modern and protective. For $ 150 each, AirPop is equipped with a coin-sized front sensor that connects to an application via Bluetooth to track your respiration rate, pollutants, air quality index and when to turn off the filter. AirPop believes that breathing tracking can also help athletes, who can calculate their body’s performance from some of this data.
AirPop says its mask is washable and will go on sale in February. You can also buy a version without the sensor for $ 56.
LG PuriCare Mask
LG’s answer: use an air purifier on your face.
LG
It is huge, but there is a reason. It is a battery powered air purifier for your face, complete with fans, HEPA filter and sensors as well. In all, LG said it could block more than 99% of airborne viruses and bacteria.
It weighs 126 grams, which is little more than a standard car locksmith, and lasts up to eight hours on a charge. That’s right, you need to recharge, which takes about two hours with a USB-C connection.
The device also comes with a case that sanitizes the mask with ultraviolet light in 30 minutes. So far, it is only sold in Asia and the Middle East, and LG has not said when the mask will hit US markets or how much it will cost when it does.
Razer Hazel Project
It almost looks like something Batman would use.
Razer
Leave it to a gaming lifestyle brand do it all with your mask concept. This N95 mask has all the bells and whistles you can imagine, including active ventilation and replaceable filters. It also has a microphone and a speaker, which processes your voice so that it is clearer for people to hear through the mask.
A place where Razer stands out, however, is with its own mouth coverage, which is transparent so you can read people’s lips and see their facial expressions. Transparent face masks and face shields have already become popular in the midst of the pandemic, but Razer has decided to add indoor lighting so you can see people’s mouths at night too.
The mask has silicone on the edges for greater comfort and fit, as well as adjustable straps.
And to give it that extra player glow, it has fluorescent accent lights on the outside that indicate the charge status.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for medical or health advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.