Razer claims to have made the smartest mask in the world: its new reusable N95 respirator called Project Hazel. It’s a concept design with a glossy outer shell of waterproof and scratch-resistant recycled plastic, which is transparent for lip-reading and face-to-face when talking to people.
Currently there is no price or release date attached. Razer refers to Project Hazel as a surgical N95, but it has not yet received the necessary approvals and certificates from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In a statement to The edge, Razer said he is working with a team of medical experts and scientists who are helping to develop the mask.
The most important features of this mask are within its two circular zones that surround your mouth. It is used for ventilation and gives the device an almost futuristic gas mask look. Razer claims that Project Hazel will use active dish fans, which filter the air that is inhaled and the CO2 that is exhaled. The company adds that it is certified to filter 95 percent of particles in the air, including the COVID-19 virus and other common pathogens.
These fans are removable and rechargeable, though Razer is still figuring out the details of two very important factors: how long it will be effective and how Razer will alert the user when it’s time for a new one. A spokesman said The edge that the life of the fans is still being tested and that the filters need to be changed, Razer sees the users in notification via a mobile companion app.
Microphones and amplifiers embedded in the fans will project your voice through the mask, so you do not have to worry. We have not yet seen it in action or had the chance to try it out for ourselves. Razer told us that it is working with THX sound engineers to find a balance in terms of how loud the speakers should be for accessibility purposes.
Razer claims that Project Hazel is comfortable despite all the technology inside. The mask makes a seal around your nose and chin with a silicone protector, and it uses adjustable loops so most people can find the right fit (although it’s probably a little heavier than your average mask).
Of course, this would not be a modern Razer product if it does not support Chroma RGB LEDs. Each ring of the respirator-meet amplifier can glow in the color you choose. And when it gets dark, a set of LEDs is automatically activated to let light shine on your mouth so others can still see you talking. It’s hard to tell how effective these LEDs are at fully illuminating your mouth, but they can be helpful nonetheless.
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Razer anticipates that each Project Hazel mask will contain a large loading bin that sterilizes the mask with UV light when not in use, although it is still in the draft stage.
Most of us already have countless masks, but there is definitely a place for Project Hazel in the world – if it ever comes out.
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Razer has another announcement for CES 2021, and it’s purely conceptual. It’s called Project Brooklyn, and (since you may not know the name), it’s a luxury play chair with built – in haptics and a built – in OLED screen. Theoretically, it supports input from all your game resources, making it the ultimate game drive. But without a personal CES, it looks like Razer did not have the need to erase a physical model from Project Brooklyn. We will see if some aspects of this idea make it into future products; the rumbling haptics seem to be the most practical components.