Razer face mask wows with transparent design, RGB lighting and voice amplifier
Yearly at CES, Razer pitches one or two “idea” merchandise that will or might not ever come to market. Along with laptops, mice, headsets and no matter else is on the agenda, Razer likes to pitch one thing imaginative, merely to see whether or not its futuristic concepts are possible — and, little question, how potential prospects may react.
This 12 months, Razer’s idea tasks embrace Challenge Hazel and Challenge Brooklyn: a futuristic face masks to handle public well being issues, and a gaming chair that doubles as an immersive leisure heart, respectively.
Previously, Razer’s ideas have included a full-fledged racing simulator, a laptop computer that ran off of a smartphone and a laptop computer with three screens. These ideas don’t typically develop into salable merchandise, though its “Challenge Breadwinner” toaster did (surprisingly) develop into a actuality, so something is feasible.
Challenge Hazel
Challenge Hazel is the timelier of Razer’s two ideas from CES 2021. This wearable gadget is a face masks, very similar to those we’ve been inspired to put on to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas fabric masks scale back the chance of illness, nevertheless, Razer identified how they create some issues.
Not having the ability to see individuals’s mouths makes it tough to learn facial expressions (or lips, for the hearing-impaired), whereas fabric tends to muffle dialog and does an imperfect job at filtering out microscopic particles.
Challenge Hazel, in contrast, is a reusable masks with a extra inflexible construction and a clear faceplate so others can see what you are saying. Razer VoiceAmp Know-how makes use of a built-in microphone and amplifier “to boost the person’s speech for clear communication whereas staying secure in social conditions.”
This sensible masks additionally makes use of replaceable and rechargeable disc-type ventilators that may be sanitized of micro organism and viruses by inserting it inside its dual-purpose wi-fi quick charging field with disinfecting UV-light inside.
After all, this would not be a Razer product with out RGB lighting. Wearers can activate two customizable Razer Chroma RGB lighting zones providing 16.eight million colours, full with dynamic lighting results.
In concept, Challenge Hazel is extra sanitary, extra sturdy and extra practical than an on a regular basis fabric masks. Nonetheless, there are some roadblocks which may forestall Challenge Hazel from changing into a actuality. The primary is that masks utilization is (hopefully) about to develop into quite a bit much less obligatory, because of a widespread COVID vaccination challenge. The second is {that a} gadget like Challenge Hazel would probably be fairly costly.
Challenge Brooklyn
The extra conventional Razer Idea from CES 2021 is Challenge Brooklyn, which mixes a rollable OLED display screen with the design from the Razer Iskur gaming chair. It’s primarily a gaming pod, just like the gargantuan Acer Thronos, however with a way more restrained, minimalist design.
Right here’s the way it works: You sit within the chair, which seems to be and capabilities primarily like an Iskur. You lay out a bar in entrance of you, which helps a keyboard and a mouse. A panoramic OLED display screen rolls down from above. As you play video games, the chair’s built-in haptics reply to what’s taking place onscreen, like a full-body DualSense controller. There are even RGB LED strips on the facet of the Brooklyn, which may maintain spectators entertained with colourful patterns.
In concept, it’s straightforward to see how Challenge Brooklyn may profit players, significantly those that don’t have sufficient house for a full leisure heart or devoted PC desk. Alternatively, it depends on numerous know-how that isn’t obtainable to customers but, and possibly gained’t be priced affordably for years to return. Nonetheless, it’s not a ridiculous concept, and it actually has a way more approachable design than the Thronos or — lest we overlook — the terrifying scorpion chair.
Since Challenge Brooklyn is only a idea, there’s no option to gauge how a lot it may cost, or when it would come out. Nevertheless it’s at the least an attention-grabbing concept that solves an actual drawback for players with out a lot additional house.
For players who’re focused on one thing a little bit extra tangible, Razer additionally just lately introduced upgrades for its Razer Blade 15 and Razer Blade Professional 17 gaming laptops. Now you can get them with Nvidia GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs inbuilt. It’s not fairly as futuristic as an RGB masks or a rollable OLED gaming chair, however it’s about the very best we will do in 2021.
