Famous musician William Adams or as many call him “Will.i.am,” has unveiled a high-tech mask that may or may not be a thing from the future. His latest creation is a smart face mask that has the bells and whistles of a modern-age gadget.
The “Xupermask” is built in collaboration with N95 mask maker Honeywell. The facemask costs $299 and the company has used silicon and athletic mesh to provide a snug fit. It gets better! The mask also incorporates LEDs, 2 fans, a non-medical HEPA filtration system, and lastly noise-canceling headphones. It’s basically a low-end smartphone that can be used as a mask.
According to NYT, the mask is designed by Jose Fernandez, who is also the costume designer for SpaceX spacesuits. He has also worked on several Marvel projects such as “Black Panther.”
“We are living in sci-fi times. The pandemic is straight out of a friggin’ movie. But we are wearing masks from yesterday’s movie. So I wanted to make a mask to fit the era that we’re in,” Will.i.am told the NYT.
The Xupermask has already hit the market but seems a little late to the party. While mass vaccinations are underway in the US, cases are still surging at an alarming pace, thanks to new virus strains. Still making a $300 mask investment at the moment might not go well with many consumers, as the pandemic is believed to be in its final stages.
Well, the rapper believes masks are here for good, the same way people in parts of Asia still use a face mask even after several years of the SARS epidemic in 2003. Will.i.am knows his record for launching tech innovations is stained, as many of his previous projects failed to impress the masses. Well, it remains to be seen if the Xupermask hits the right chords with the buyers.
