Razer has announced at E3 that Project Hazel, which caused a lot of buzz at CES, will start shipping in october.
Project Hazel, which is a glorified version of a N95 mask, debuted to much enthusiasm earlier this year at CES. Razer has added some new features, like an anti fog coating on the transparent section, and it also looks like it's been slightly redesigned to be more streamlined. It's scheduled to be released in limited quantities, sold in drops, with the first drop landing around October. Sign up to Razer’s website to get on the drop list if you want to get your hands on one. Razer has given an option with which you can try it on your face virtually in AR on Instagram with the Project Hazel filter.
Although many think that the mask might be arriving a little late given the continued rollout of coronavirus vaccines, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan explained the reasoning in March stating that even with the vaccinations, people still have to be masked up to be more more careful because there is the risk factor and he added that many countries may still be few years from being fully vaccinated.
In addition to Razer aesthetic design, the mask is cleverly conceived with auto sterilization and active ventilation, with a separate case that can charge it wirelessly in addition to a UV sterilizer. It uses rechargeable ventilators and replaceable filters along with being transparent so that people can see your mouth move.
LED lights on the pods of the mask indicate the charge status and there are also internal LEDs to make your mouth visible in low light. Razer has changed the initial lighting design shown at CES to sync with its Chrome RGB illumination. And the pods have audio processing algorithms built in to make the user’s voice sound a lot clearer and more natural.
For an airtight seal the mask has silicone around the edges and adjustable ear loops. One can adjust the amount of airflow for maximum comfort and protection. It also comes in multiple sizes.