Razer Unveils "The World's Smartest Mask," With Filters, RGB, More

You can always rely on Razer to bring over-engineering to an everyday product. And now, albeit a bit late, theyve introduced something to help handle the pandemic. Introducing Project Hazel, a smart mask.

The gaming brand recently released a new video, where Director of Design Charlie Bolton talks about Project Hazel. The project began as an urgent mask production project, making and distributing medical grade disposable face masks. Since it began, theyve distributed over 1 million masks globally.

But according to him, it's time to tackle a different issue with masks: the social side. That's what the smart mask is for. Each of its features is designed around overcoming specific issues that traditional masks have. Lets break it down.



First is safety. The mark is classified as a surgical N95 class respirator. It has an active ventilation system attached to one side, filtering out bacteria with 95% effectiveness. A small air motor provides circulation, ensuring minimal CO2 build-up and preventing fog.

To assist in sanitation, the mask also comes with a charging case that both recharges the masks features, but encases it in UV light to sterilize the mask when not in use.

Next up is communication. Standard masks hide the mouth and muffled speech. This can make talking to others or expressing emotion difficult. Project Hazel attempts to remedy this by having a clear, transparent wrap, allowing others to see your face. It also has a small voice amplifying speaker on one side, using Voiceamp Technology to more clearly broadcast your voice.

How about eco-friendliness? The mask is waterproof and scratch resistant, encouraging heavy use. Its also reportedly made from recycled plastic to further reduce wastage.

Lastly is comfort. The mask has a silicon form that shapes to your face. This should provide a comfortable fit while avoiding common issues like glasses fogging up.

But wait, wheres the unnecessary neon lights and dubstep that Razer so commonplace for these products?

Dont worry. Its still there. The masks feature 2 RGB Chroma lights that can be customized via the Razer app. They also automatically turn on in low-light conditions. The masks will be available in both black and white.

Theres no word on when (or even if) the masks will be made publicly available. The price is also not known at this time. Though we cant imagine it would be cheap. More details can be found on the Razer Website.

Honestly, Razer has a reputation for making overpriced stuff that isnt actually that high quality. But of all the weird non-gaming things theyve made, this has me the most interested. If you were to take away the gamer-style notoriety of the company, this would sound like the ideal personal mask. Whether it can hold its salt, however, remains to be seen. It's definitely more interesting than their Razer LED Debit Card.