What you need to know
- Razer's Project Hazel is now Razer Zephyr – an innovative mask with modern features.
- It features N95-grade filters, transparent design, voice amp, and LEDs that set it apart from the rest.
- Hazel represents Razer's ongoing support and commitment to public health and safety within the community.
It was six months ago Razer announced 'Project Hazel' – a smart mask with LEDs, removable N95 filters, voice amp technology, and a transparent design. The mask is a significant evolution over disposable cloth masks with many usability features and flare.
Today, the company revealed that the project has progressed to official commercial hardware with a brand-new name: Razer Zephyr (meaning: a gentle breeze). This news follows the announcement in June that Razer planned to ship Zephyr in "early Q4" with signups for those interested in getting in line for one.
Zephyr achieves a 99% lab-tested Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) rating for bacteria larger than 3 microns in size. There is also a storage case that auto-sterilizes the mask using UV light, which "kills bacteria and viruses as the mask charges." There are even more crazy features like "low light mode," whereby the "mask's interior lights up automatically when it's dark, allowing you to express yourself clearly regardless of the lighting conditions."
While the driving focus for Zephyr is the 2020 COVID pandemic, recent outbreaks of the Delta variant (and Lambda) have brought the issue of mask-wearing back to the forefront of public health.
Moreover, in many Asian countries, wearing masks has become relatively routine following earlier outbreaks like SARS, the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, and the prevalence of Asian Dust. Additionally, masks have become popular to combat the respiratory effects of airborne pollution and even allergies for many. That makes Zephyr potentially more lucrative for those markets vs. Western ones with greater resistance to wearing masks (even one as cool looking as Zephyr).
As to pricing for Razer Zephyr, that has yet to be announced, but we're likely to hear more in the coming weeks. Razer does expect high demand for the mask despite what is likely a high price tag for the privilege.
Razer's first smart mask has evolved from Project Hazel to Razer Zephyr. A release date is expected in the coming weeks, along with pricing, but you can sign up now for the community beta test.
