Technology
Will.I.Am releases bizarre ‘smart’ facemask with noise-cancelling audio, microphone and Bluetooth
WILL.I.AM is launching a Bluetooth-capable face mask for $299 (£216).
The Xupermask features noise-cancelling headphones, three dual-speed fans and a mechanical air filter for breathability.
Will.I.Am is launching a high-tech face mask[/caption]
It’s a collaboration between the rapper, tech firm Honeywell and designer Jose Fernandez, who created Elon Musk’s SpaceX suits.
At just shy of $300, it’s far from cheap – though the team has loaded it with a tonne of bells and whistles.
On top of air fans and a HEPA filter, the gadget features LED lights, microphone capabilities and a silicone face seal.
It’s got a seven-hour battery life and even a magnetic earbud docking system.
The Xupermask features noise-cancelling headphones, three dual-speed fans and a mechanical air filter for breathability[/caption]
It’s also capable of playing music and taking phone calls.
Speaking to the New York Times about the project, Will.I.Am said the mask was designed to supersede the face masks of old.
“We are living in sci-fi times,” the 46-year-old said.
“[The pandemic] his 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.”
The Xupermask is out April 8 and will be available to purchase from the gizmo’s official website.
It’s not the first time the rapper has dabbled in the world of wearable tech[/caption]
It’s not the first time the Voice UK judge has dabbled in the world of tech.
He took on Apple in 2016 with the release of a gadget that’s both a phone and a smartwatch.
The Dial features its own personal assistant called AneedA which users chat to like a friend.
It’s the follow-up to the Puls, another wearable gadget bankrolled by the musician that failed to ever go on general sale.
Will.I.Am has also unveiled multiple sets of headphones that failed to materialise.
His company i.am+ is focused on “wearable products”.
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In other news, a high-tech mask that sobers you up three times faster than normal has been invented by scientists.
Alcohol tolerance might have saved our ancestors from extinction, according to scientists.
And, boffins have brewed beer enjoyed by Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs after scraping ingredients from 5,000-year-old booze pots.
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