LG is updating its UGX 3.7m high-tech, air-purifying face mask–dubbed the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier. The company hasn’t announced pricing or widespread availability of the new version of its mask. Between the ongoing pandemic and widespread air pollution, there’s reason to think there’ll be demand for products like this.
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In June, Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate, Gen Jeje Odongo, arrived at Parliament wearing a face mask said to cost about UGX 3.7 million for his vetting. This caused an uproar on social media as people were wondering if it comes with WiFi, the vaccine, or an oxygen cylinder integrated (see tweet below).
Okay just some few questions here…. Does it have the Vaccine and WiFi? Does it have a mini oxygen cylinder? Is it a power bank to charge phones? Does it Kill the Covid 19 virus?
— Resper Nyivuru (@ResperNy) June 15, 2021
LG doesnot claiming the mask will protect against the novel coronavirus in any way, though it did hint that this was the case when it first announced the product. It’s true that some air purifying filters do catch particles the size of the virus that causes COVID-19, but without scientific studies on this particular product or more details about the sort of filters it uses, we can’t and shouldn’t make any claims for its efficacy in this regard. A mask is certainly better than no mask, though, and the best mask is one you’ll happily wear.
LG first announced the mask last year, which uses replaceable air filters and built-in fans to filter the air. LG says the new version has a smaller and lighter motor, as well as built-in microphones and speakers that amplify the wearer’s voice. (Video of the original mask shows that it muffled speech quite effectively.) The latter technology, which LG is calling VoiceON, “automatically recognizes when users are talking and amplifies their voice through the built-in speaker.”
LG is not the first company to put this sort of voice-amplification tech in a face mask, with Razer’s Project Hazel mask (which is supposedly arriving in limited quantities later this year) offering a similar set-up. Razer’s mask also has LED lighting, so take that, LG.
The new LG PuriCare mask weighs 94 grams, has a built in 1,000mAh battery, and recharges in two hours via USB. LG claims it’s comfortable enough to wear for up to eight hours at a time, but in my experience no mask is truly comfortable after a few hours.
