By David T. Valentin
Now I have to admit, although I was surprised to see this headline make the rounds today, I wouldn’t say that any of us are actually surprised by the announcement of a smart mask. If anything, i’m more surprised that it took so long for them to develop a smart mask.
For the project of creating the smart mask, Will.i.am teamed up with Honeywell—an innovative tech company that envisions the future—to create what they are calling the Xupermask. Not quite sure if such an innovative piece of technology deserves such a lackluster name, but maybe most people will just call it the smart face mask.
The Xupermask goes beyond any face mask design we’ve seen previously, suited up with Bluetooth, fan-powered HEPA filters, active noise-cancellation headphones, a microphone and LED lights on each cheek. The Xupermask is reported to have a seven-hour charge and can be easily charged back up with a USB-C cable.
The Xupermask can be bought in two sleek colorways: white/gray/orange and black/black/orange, a simple choice of colors that could fit with almost every possible outfit and can even be both in S/M or M/L. Along with all the innovative tech packed into the actual device, the Xupermask comes with a XUPERKIT, which comes with a carrying case, three-month supply of HEPA filters, multi-size ear tips, USB-C charging cable and a fabric mask. The Xupermask goes on sale today, April 8th.
Its retail price is set at $299, a pretty hefty price for a jumped up face mask. But hey, if a face mask is globally becoming part of our average day lives, might as well suit up, innovate and accessorize, packing many of your daily travel needs into one pretty cool, sleeked up piece of tech.