CES 2021: Razer’s Project Hazel is a high-tech N95 face mask with RGB lights and a built-in microphone

CES 2021 is now underway and that means there are lots of interesting tech products being showcased. At this year’s virtual trade show, gaming product maker Razer announced its latest concept product, but it is not a gaming laptop or PC. Instead, Project Hazel is a futuristic face mask that is designed for style conscious gamers.

Design-wise, the most significant feature of Razer’s concept mask is its transparent face cover that lets people see your mouth. The Irvine-based company said this clear design enables people who are hard of hearing to read your lips. In addition, the mask is said to have interior lights that turn on automatically when it gets dark, illuminating your face. 

Razer, of course, has added its own high-tech spin to the traditional face mask by adding a built-in microphone and speaker that amplifies your voice, as face mask tend to muffle one’s voice.

The concept is shown in both black and white options, and it is also made from recyclable plastic. Razer has claimed that the mask is both scratch-resistant and waterproof. For added comfort, the silicon-lined mask features adjustable ear loops. 

For a bit of flair, the concept mask features Razer Chroma RGB lighting around the Smart Pods and interior lights. According to Razer, the lights offer 16.8 million colours and different customisable effects. 

Given all the electronics present in the mask, you definitely will need to recharge it after each use. For this, Razer showed off a recharging box that apparently recharges the mask wirelessly while disinfecting it by using UV lights on the inside.

On a practical level, Project Hazel is envisioned as an N95 medical-grade respirator that comes complete with detachable and rechargeable active ventilators and Smart Pods that Razer says helps regulate airflow for optimal breathability. The company claims that the Smart Pods can filter 95% of airborne particles while releasing CO2 that the wearer breathes out, to prevent it from being built up in the mask, allowing cool air in.

During past CES shows, Razer introduced outlandish and fantastical concept products that don’t ever see the light of day. Looking back a couple of years ago, who can forget 2017’s Project Valerie, a ridiculous looking laptop with three built-in 4K displays. The following year, Razer unveiled Project Linda, an ultraportable laptop with a dock for the Android-based Razer Phone. 

Razer has admitted that most of these crazy concepts are basically design exercises, but sometimes the company does take inspiration from these concepts and turn them into actual products. 

As Project Hazel by Razer is still just a concept, there is no price or release date announced, but it is still a very interesting product that should prove useful in our new normal if it were to be ever released to the market. Considering all the high-tech features that are stuffed into Project Hazel, we suspect a mask like this won’t come cheap. Perhaps, if Razer were to remove unnecessary features like the RGB Chroma lighting and the built-in microphone, this could be a practical mask for people to use.

If you are interested in checking out how Razer’s Project Hazel was developed and its various features, have a look at the video below.

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