In an era where masks are no longer taboo, an American startup company has developed a mask that not only filters the air you breathe in, but it also protects you from video surveillance.
Known as the BLANC mask, the egg-shaped covering looks like a cross between a Daft Punk mask and one used for ballistic protection against shrapnel and projectiles.
Maria Lapuk, Blanc cofounder, took full advantage of the pandemic panic to market the device.
“Wearing a mask is literally the easiest thing one can do to help people not die right now,” she said. “We happen to live in a COVID era, where we have to wear masks just like people in the early twentieth century had to wear their long hats to prevent lice and flea bites which could lead to a bubonic plague outbreak. This doesn’t mean though that masks should be all safety and no fun. Masks do rob people of their personality, so we decided to give something in return, perhaps a bit more than just the safety and comfort of breathing clean air.”
The design is somewhat unique, in that it doesn’t rely on a traditional retention system.
According to a press release, “existing respirators typically require a lot of ear and head loops adjustment, which can pinch the scalp and pull down on the ears. Blanc adjusts to individual anatomical features of the face and head making for a supremely comfortable fit. The mask consists of two vertical symmetrical parts which fold together. Using a simple ‘face wash’ gesture with the palms of your hands, the mask is fitted. Midline magnets gently fix Blanc over the face, while retractable tape provides fixation in the parietal zone, at the rear top of the head.”
The design offers a 180-degree seal around the face, and has a filtration system that scrubs the air coming in and out. Future additions will include a voice modulation module, Bluetooth capability, climate control features, head-up displays and augmented reality features that will merge man and machine.
The masks are somewhat dystopian in appearance, completely devoid of noticable features.
The Kickstarter page lists funding at $150,568.
© 2020 Bright Mountain Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. which may be contacted at info@brightmountainmedia.com, ticker BMTM.