From watches to light bulbs, almost every appliance and accessory has been sprinkled with some smart dust over the past half a decade or so. So, with face masks becoming an everyday consideration around the globe, it was inevitable they’d be swept into the IOT world. Unfortunately, from what we can see here, most people really shouldn’t consider these as an option for their “daily driver” – however, one teched up mask might be onto something.
Smart face masks – tested
We’ve tested three smart face masks from AirPop, Binatone and UVMask to see if they’re worth considering and what their accompanying tech actually adds.
Binatone MaskFone
The Binatone MaskFone is perhaps the most rudimentary take on a smart mask out of the three, and the one that’s the least worth paying attention to. Binatone touts the MaskFone as having “integrated earbuds and microphone”, which is true, but it boils down to some Motorola wireless Bluetooth headphones held in place with Velcro straps in a cloth mask. After trying the MaskFone, I’m still not sure I understand the benefit of having wireless headphones dedicated to your mask use, especially when plenty of decent wireless earbuds are available for a reasonably low price – not much more than the £36/$50 for this mask, like with the impressively cheap true-wireless EarFun Air (£43) – and, as it turns out, pressing buttons on your face isn’t that comfortable or convenient.
Score: 2/10
Price: £36 ($50) | Check price on MaskFone
UVMask
The UVMask is a crowdfunded product and costs a whopping £157/$219. As the name suggests, this mask does offer more of a focus on the sanitisation side of things. The mask itself is best described as heavy duty. If you’re someone who’s been happily wearing a lightweight cloth mask over the course of the pandemic then you’ll likely not want to upgrade to having this weighty covering on your face.
The inconvenience of this mask extends beyond its weight – making a rather loud noise when its filtration system is turned on. The straps also make this a mask you won’t want to be taking on and off when you’re going about your day. The silicone straps are difficult from the off, with the setup – attaching the straps to the mask and rerouting them through a strap holder – being nothing short of a faff. When on, the mask fit obviously has to be quite tight to support this UVMask’s weight but it means you really feel strapped in. Adjusting the mask while on is a bit of a no go but, once off, it feels like a whole other event to feed through the silicone straps then replace on your expecting noggin.
What the UVMask does have in its favour are the claims it makes with regards to improved protection. The mask provides an airtight seal, particle filtration and air purification – shielding you against air you’re breathing in and others from air you’re breathing out.
However, while UVMask does provide examples of its testing on its crowdfunding page, it is immediately required to disclose the following: “Disclaimer: UVMask is not FDA approved, thus not intended for medical or healthcare use. It is intended for non-medical consumer use for general protection against air pollution only. It is not intended to be used for medical purposes such as uses related to COVID-19. We do not make any antiviral or antibacterial claims.”
Nevertheless, UV does have proven virus-killing capabilities. In particular, the UV-C light touted by UVMask breaks down the genetic material in viruses, preventing it from replicating. The UVMask also swerves known issues with UV-C light's effectiveness when tackling surfaces – focusing on tackling the air within the mask instead. Unfortunately, the lack of certification means UVMask can make few promises on this front.
If you want certified extra protection from COVID-19 then you can look at FFP2 face masks in the UK, which can be bought for £10 for 5 at Boots – with similarly priced options elsewhere, too. These don’t offer air filtration and UV tech like the UVMask does, but they are officially certified. You can take it a step further and look at FFP3 masks, however, these are particularly specialist and generally used by professionals who specifically need them.
Ultimately, the UVMask is a high price to pay for a face mask that only makes claims against battling air pollution, alongside a rather awkward and hassle-laden day-to-day experience.
Score: 4/10
Price: £157 ($219) | Check price on Indiegogo
AirPop Active+ Halo
Like the UVMask, the AirPop Active+ Halo focuses many of its claims on pollution, but in a more targeted and clear manner. As a result, this mask is definitely the most thoughtful and intriguing of the three on test. Is it one the average Joe should buy for their weekly food shop or daily coffee run? Probably not. But, for fitness fans, it offers a couple of neat features.
The Active+ Halo has a small puck embedded in the mask, and this is what handles the tracking. On setup, you’ll need to download the AirPop app and then connect it to your mask. Once you’ve done this, you’ll get stats on both your breathing and the pollution in your area – consequently, showing how much protection this mask has afforded you.
If you notice pollution is particularly high at certain times or in certain areas where you usually walk or run, this app will give you the information to dodge this if you so choose. It’s this, combined with data on how many breaths you take, that make this a more intriguing option for the fitness-focused, adding a new dimension to tracking your exercise, building on the heart rate and GPS measurements than traditional smartwatches take.
Is this data worthwhile? We spoke to Chris Hosmer, co-founder and chief innovation officer of AirPop, who stated the company had seen its data actually change user behaviour – altering when they went out.
In my testing, I did find it interesting to see the levels of pollution in areas around where I live – however, pollution data is readily available on the web, so you don’t need this mask for that.
Seeing data on my breathing was equally intriguing, viewing the changing trends depending on routes I took or how other factors in my day-to-day may have affected my respiration on the same route at a different time. But, at £150, you really need to be interested in this data and how it could influence your daily exercise for it to come close to being worth the cash.
When it comes to fit and how it feels to wear on a daily basis, I did have trouble getting it on just right. The inside of the mask offers a dual-layer silicon lining for creating a seal. In theory, this should help with things like foggy glasses. However, I had a hard time getting this seal right.
Perfectly sealed or not, the fit is generally comfortable, and this mask is certainly the most stylish of the bunch. If the design grabs you, then you can pick up the dumb tech version of the Active+ Halo – the Active – for £70. This still offers filter protection and the knitted soft shell fit. Alternatively, fitness experts Gymshark currently sell exercise and gym-friendly face coverings at £10 for 2 but they offer less protection and tracking than AirPop’s offerings.
Score: 6/10
Price: £149 | Check price on AirPop
The “smart” in smart face mask isn’t about COVID-19 protection
It wouldn’t be fair to dismiss this product category outright – you just have to know what you’re getting into. The AirPop Active+ is certainly the best product here – COVID-19 aside – offering useful data when it comes to your own breathing patterns and local pollution levels.
However, given the current climate, you might have first laid your eyes on “smart face mask” and wondered what COVID-19 detecting, battling or deterring features adding technology could bring. Unfortunately, the answer is none. What’s on offer either isn’t about COVID-19 protection, wouldn’t be viable to wear day-to-day, can’t officially verify its claims or is a half-hearted attempt to add in gadgetry. Check out our round-up of the best face masks you can buy for some lower-tech but still stylish and functional options.
- 📚 The future of medicine, AI and climate change: get WIRED books
- This is what Monzo is planning next
- The hunt for a drug that can stop Covid-19 infections
- These people can’t visualise images in their mind
- Why iOS 14.5 is Apple’s biggest privacy update
- Lewis Hamilton opens up about activism and life beyond F1
- 🔊 Subscribe to the WIRED Podcast. New episodes every Friday
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
