In case you’ve wanted to add a cyborg look now that it’s acceptable to do so thanks to the prevailing circumstances then LG has the perfect answer for you.
The Korean company has today announced the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier. Basically, a face mask on steroids.
Face masks have become common-place in many parts of the world and are mandatory in many countries, including Kenya, and are a requirement when travelling internationally by air.
The wearing of face masks has been cited by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the effective means of containing the spread of the coronavirus. If you are interested in the science behind the same, this is a good place to start.
Now, LG has for years been known for its home appliances which include air purifiers. Since masks, like the ones everyone out there is wearing, whether surgical, the home-made cloth type or whatever form, are meant to filter the “bad stuff” in the air from getting to wearers, this has been right up LG’s alley. Their response? The PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier which, in the words of LG, “Delivers a new level of portable protection.”
“LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier resolves the dilemma of homemade masks being of inconsistent quality and disposal masks being in short supply. The PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier employs two H13 HEPA filters, similar to the filters used in the company’s home air purifier products,” a statement from the company reads.
“Employing LG’s latest advancements in air purification, high-performance replaceable filters enable PuriCare Wearable to supply fresh, clean air indoor and out. With its Dual Fans and patented Respiratory Sensor, LG’s wearable air purifier allows users to take in clean, filtered air while the Respiratory Sensor detects the cycle and volume of the wearer’s breath and adjusts the dual three-speed fans accordingly. The fans automatically speed up to assist air intake and slow down to reduce resistance when exhaling to make breathing effortless.”
The mask is said to have been designed with ergonomics in mind, fitting snugly on the wearer’s face to minimize air leakage on the nose and chin while also adapting to one’s facial shape. That should also enable wearers to have it on for hours on as it offers some level of comfort that reduces the fatigue and discomfort many of us have come to associate with mask-wearing.
With all the ergonomics and air purification technology catered for, LG says that the PuriCare Wearable is still light enough to not be a bother. It comes with a battery unit (820mAh) that offers up to 8 hours of operation in “low mode” (whatever that means) and 2 hours “on high”.
When the 8 or 2 hours of operation lapse, charging the LG “smart mask” is done using a special case that comes with the wearable straight out of the box. That case also doubles up as a cleaner for the wearable, using ultraviolet (UV) LED lights.
The case is also responsible for bringing out the other smart aspects of the face wearable. It monitors the air filters, for instance, and notifies the user, using the LG ThinQ app (which you can download from the Google Play Store for use not just with the wearable but other LG devices and home appliances as well). It also notifies the user when the “smart mask” has been fully charged.
LG will be showcasing the PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier next week at IFA 2020 in Berlin.
Another Korean company, Samsung, recently released its own phone cleaning accessory that comes with a built-in wireless charger.
