The number of smart devices is growing every day. And now in a situation where the COVID-19 pandemic is still
This is a Japanese accessory developed by a startupDonut Robotics. The mask reportedly connects to the Internet wirelessly via a smartphone. She can spread messages and translate Japanese into eight different languages. How it works? The user places a plastic white "c-mask" on top of a regular face mask and connects to their phone using Bluetooth. Those wearing the mask can send texts, make calls, and raise the user's voice volume.
This dubious and desperate idea came becausethe company needed a product that was up-to-date for sale during the pandemic. A coronavirus outbreak led to a loss of order for robot guides and translators from Haneda Tokyo Airport, and the company is not sure about the future demand for these products. It took the company only one month to develop the prototype of the mask, and the design was created by Donut Robotics engineer Shunsuke Fujibayashi. The latter developed a mask to help interpret speech by mapping facial muscles. The $ 260,000 equivalent product creation money came from the sale of Donut Robotics shares through Fundinno's crowdfunding site.
Taisuke Ono, CEO of Donut Robotics,said: "We have been working on a robot for many years, and we used this technology to create a product that matches how coronavirus has changed society." A smart mask costs about $ 40. One of the possibilities that the company is considering is the sale of subscription services through an application that users will need to install on their phones.
Starting in September, the first 5,000 masks are planned to be sent to Japan. The company aims to do business in the US, Europe and China and says there is a lot of interest in the product.