Companies like AirPop use sensors and style to make their masks more attractive.
AirPop
This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the most popular articles from the all-virtual CES 2021.
The coronavirus pandemic is getting worse, not better, and world leaders warn that this winter will be difficult. During the CES Consumer Technical Show this week, different ways to protects people against the coronavirus using germicidal UV lights, air filters and vital signs. But the highest profile new ideas were masks.
There were masks designed with sensors to detect breathing. Other masks are transparent so you can see the wearer’s mouth. There are even people to help you make a call.
“Now that we are well established in this new normal situation, we see the need for face masks that are safe, social and sustainable,” said Charlie Bolton, head of design at lifestyle brand Razer, in a video. His team has created a concept mask he calls ‘the smartest mask in the world’, with features such as lighting, a microphone and a speaker.
Look at this:
Technology at CES to address coronavirus spread
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In many ways, the technology industry to create these masks could not have come at a better time. Coronavirus infections and deaths wander around the world. Just over a year after the coronavirus was first detected in China, the virus has infected more than 92 million people around the world and killed more than 2 million people.
But just adding technology to a mask or other tool to fight disease is not enough. This is why some of the most interesting technology products on display at CES never hit the market. At a time when people need as many tools as possible to fight the pandemic, some of the technology will hopefully help.
Below is a list of the most interesting technology-enabled masks we’ve seen so far.
MaskFone
The MaskFone helps us stay safe.
Binatone
What else do you need to hear? The MaskFone, made by Binatone, is a $ 50 washable mask with a built-in Bluetooth headset. The goal is to get rid of the muffled sound. The mask is rated N95, which means it can filter 95% particles including bacteria and viruses.
The MaskFone lasts 12 hours at a cost, which should be enough to get you through even the most exhausting conference calls.
(Before you ask, it’s not made by the same company that created the TV hat comedian Stephen Colbert in 2011. Although his segment on it made the hat one of CES ‘hits.)
Did I laugh at the idea of the Mask Phones, a mask with a built-in Bluetooth headset? Certainly.
Did I wear one for the past two hours to take meetings while waiting for my car? Sure did. pic.twitter.com/fT1B49JwXo
Joanna Stern @JoannaStern 1 December 2020
AirPop Active Plus
The AirPop Active Plus with its accompanying app.
AirPop
The company AirPop places its AirPop Active Plus mask as fashionable and protective. At $ 150 apiece, the AirPop is equipped with a sensor on the front of about a quarter that connects via Bluetooth to an app to track your breathing rate, pollution, air quality index and when to turn off the filter. AirPop believes that breathing can also help athletes calculate their body’s performance from some of the 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’s PuriCare masks
LG’s answer: wear an air purifier on your face.
LG
It’s great, but there’s a reason. It’s a a battery-powered air purifier for your face, also with fans, a HEPA filter and sensors. LG has said that it can block more than 99% of viruses and bacteria in the air.
It weighs 126 grams, which is a little more than a standard car key, and lasts up to eight hours at a charge. That’s right, you need to recharge it, which takes about two hours over a USB-C connection.
The device also has a case that disinfects the mask with UV lights within 30 minutes. So far, it is only sold in Asia and the Middle East, and LG has not yet said when the mask will hit US markets or how much it will cost.
Razer is Project Hazel
Looks almost like something Batman would wear.
Razer
Leave it to a lifestyle brand goes all out with his mask concept. This N95 mask contains all the bells and whistles you can think of, including active ventilation and replaceable filters. It also has a microphone and speaker that processes your voice so that it is clearer for people to hear through the mask.
One place where Razer stands out, however, is with the mouthpiece itself, 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 amid the pandemic, but Razer decided to add interior lighting so you can also see people’s mouths at night.
The mask has silicone around the edges for convenience and fit, and adjustable ruffles.
And to give the extra gamer-y torch, it has fluorescent accent lights on the outside that indicate charge status.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.