Razer has confirmed that its concept face mask, codenamed Project Hazel, will indeed be a reality. Project Hazel was unveiled as a concept at CES 2021.
Razer Has Thought About Project Hazel’s Relevance in the Future
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan said that Razer has thought about its mask’s relevancy after “vaccinations and everything has been rolled out.”
The conclusion was that even after vaccination, precautionary measures are still going to be required. Additionally, it may take another year or more for a substantial population of the world to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
@Razer says it’s planning to ship its concept reusable #N95 #FaceMask. Unveiled back in January, #ProjectHazel includes active disc-type ventilators, Chroma RGB lighting, and voice projection. @verge @tomwarrenhttps://t.co/4Az7hYN4vj
— Drund (@drund) March 26, 2021
Project Hazel is being hailed as a “smart mask” by Razer, mainly due to its high-tech features. The mask has been developed keeping in mind the times that lie beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the company took its time to develop the “very best mask” it could.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Razer had donated disposable masks throughout the world, but the company soon realized that they aren’t really sustainable. In relation to this, Tan said that going forward, Razer’s priority is to “solve the sustainable aspect of the mask” and “ship the smart mask” as soon as possible.
Razer Still Needs Approval From Regulatory Bodies
As appealing as Project Hazel sounds, it may take a while for the mask to reach the average consumer.
This is mainly because Razer still has to get approval from regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Despite these hurdles, Tan’s words make it clear that Razer is fully invested into making Project Hazel a reality:
Project Hazel is going to be a reality. We are going to make it happen and I think we will all will be, unfortunately, wearing masks for a long time to come.
Razer hasn’t revealed any other details about Project Hazel such as pricing or a release date.
Project Hazel Will Be Loaded With Features
In typical Razer style, the smart mask will feature Chroma RGB lighting and a transparent front cover that is water- as well as scratch-resistant.
In addition to the visual aspects, Project Hazel will feature air ventilation that is akin to an N95 mask. The ventilators themselves will be rechargeable and replaceable should the need arise. The mask will also contain a microphone and speaker to amplify your voice.
It will be exciting to see how Razer turns Project Hazel into a tangible consumer product and, more importantly, whether it will still be useful by then.