I don’t think we need anyone to tell us that the world has been changing in recent months. The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a screeching halt and although they are doing their best to get things fired up again, it is a very slow process. In fact, many people are taking unnecessary risks because of the seriousness of the situation that they find themselves in. Not only that, we have to deal with all the different problems that are associated with being in quarantine, including living in isolation, loneliness and depression. Add on that the ‘new normal’ that we are likely to find ourselves in and the world has become a very strange place.
One of the ways in which the world has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic is the facemasks that most of us find ourselves wearing. They are an essential part of what we need in order to leave our homes in most areas. Of course, there been a lot of people who have voiced their opinions and not all of it has gone well for them. That being said, most people are content to go along with the recommendations of the CDC and other authorities by wearing a mask and doing what they can to remain safe during a very difficult time.
It has sometimes been said that necessity is the mother of invention and it seems as if that is true when it comes to wearing a facemask. A Japanese startup, Doughnut Robotics, saw an opportunity with the pandemic and they plan on cashing in on it. It is a high-tech mask that is able to help with communication. Not only can it make social distancing a lot easier, it may actually break the language barrier in many cases.
It is known as the C-Face Smart Mask. An integrated microphone is included inside of the mask that connects with the smart phone through an app. Among the many different features that it offers is that it amplifies your voice and can transcribe dictation and speech into 8 different languages, including Chinese, English, French, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
The smart mask, which is made of silicone and plastic isn’t supposed to provide protection against the coronavirus. After all, there are holes for breathing in the mask. It’s just designed to work along with an existing facemask to provide additional features.
The Doughnut Robotics organization developed translation software for another one of its inventions previously, but now they are using it for the mask. They said: “We were running short of money and wondering how to keep the company going.”
It seems as if they have found a way to do it and they were able to raise 56.6 million yen ($539,000) in crowdfunding during a campaign in July. It is expected that the first wave of up to 10,000 masks will be available in December but it will only be sold in Japan at that time. You can expect to pay $40-$50 for this device.
As a parting word from the company, they said: “We still have many situations where we have to meet in person,” he said. “In this new normal … the mask and the app are very helpful.”