Life has changed in so many ways over the past year or so, but one of the most noticeable is the widespread adoption of face masks to protect each other from COVID-19.
Musician and notorious entrepreneur will.i.am thinks masks are not just here to stay, but have the potential to become a popular hi-tech fashion accessory in the vein of Apple’s AirPods.
To that end, the ex-Black Eyed Peas rapper is launching a striking $299 face mask called Xupermask, complete with a raft of integrated technologies. Not only does it boast Bluetooth connectivity and noise-canceling headphones, it’s also hooked up with enough filters and fans to keep the airflow nice and fresh for long mask-wearing sessions. It’s even peppered with LEDs, for some reason, and boasts 7 hours of battery life.
Xupermask is fronted by will.i.am, but it was created in partnership with smart humidifier maker Honeywell and designed by costume designer Jose Fernandez. According to Macworld, Fernandez previously worked on “Elon Musk’s SpaceX suits and worked on several Marvel Studios films.” So there’s definitely plenty of star power behind this latest venture.
Image credit: NYTimes
Would you wear something like this? We’re not sure, but we wouldn’t bet against it taking off.
It certainly looks futuristic, and we’re sure will appeal to plenty of people out there. But will.i.am doesn’t have the best track record with his product inventions, having released some comically bizarre things in the past. We admire his tenacity though, and it’s hard to argue that face masks are super relevant right now.
It’ll be interesting to see whether there’s a market for $299 Bluetooth wearables that will (hopefully) be unnecessary before too long. For more information on availability, visit Xupermask.com.