At CES 2021 this week, game technology maker Razer unveiled a new concept design for a “smart mask” featuring a N95 surgical gas mask, RGB lighting and voice amplification technology. The idea behind the smart mask, dubbed Project Hazel, is to both improve safety and solve some of the social issues inherent in wearing a face mask such as muffled voices, while avoiding waste by being reusable .
More specifically, Project Hazel’s smart mask is made of waterproof, scratch-resistant and recyclable plastic with an airtight seal thanks to the adjustable ear loops. The RGB lighting mentioned above provides over 16 million colors and dynamic lightning to highlight the wearer’s mouth, and the charging box also includes a disinfecting UV light. And a built-in microphone can amplify the wearer’s voice. According to Razer, Project Hazel’s BFE Smart Pods can “filter at least 95% of the particles in the air and have high fluid resistance.”
Project Hazel isn’t the first time Razer has looked into supporting the response to COVID-19. You may recall that in early 2020 the company made headlines for converting production facilities to make medical masks and then donate them. Project Hazel appears to be the next step in Razer’s endeavors, although as a concept design it is not clear at this point whether it will hit the market or just inform the company’s other efforts down the road.
The new Razer Smart Mask is designed for comfort with an unobtrusive airtight and padded seal to ensure good protection against harmful particles in the air. Accompanied by a UV light box charger that cleans the mask at the end of each day. # CES2021 https://t.co/1xlSPfHfql pic.twitter.com/wsJMSSklxQ
– R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) January 13, 2021
“Razer recognizes the uncertainty in the road ahead, and so it was our duty to help protect our community members and prepare them for invisible threats,” said Min-Liang Tan, Razer Co-Founder and CEO. part of the Project Hazel reveal. . “The concept of Project Hazel’s smart mask is meant to be functional, yet comfortable and usable for interacting with the world while maintaining a social aesthetic.”
For more information on Project Hazel, including other design tips and wearing photos, check out Razer’s official concept design page. You can also check out all of our previous coverage of Razer itself here.
What do you think of Razer’s Project Hazel mask? Is this the kind of thing you could see yourself wearing? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to reach out and call me directly on Twitter @rollinbishop to talk about gaming!
[H/T GameSpot]
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