Face masks may help limit the spread of the coronavirus, but the protective gear has caused a problem for the public – the inability to unlock smartphones.
Now, the Chinese firm Huami has solved the issue with a transparent plastic N95-like mask.
Called Aeri, the device is designed with anti-fog material, revealing enough of the face to be recognized by Face ID technology.
The mask is also equipped with built-in ultraviolet lights that disinfects filters within 10 minutes while connected to a power source through a USB port.
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Chinese firm Huami is working on Aeri, which is a N95-like mask designed with anti-fog material, revealing enough of the face to be recognized by Face ID technology
Huami is known for its FitBit competitor Amazfit and produces Xiaomi’s Mi Bands.
The concept is to alleviate some of the burdens that come with wearing a face mask, including the cleaning of the masks and not have a smartphone recognize your face.
With the disinfecting technology, the removable filters can last up to a month and a half – much longer than surgical masks and N95 variants, TechCrunch reported.
Because of its modular design, users can customize the masks to include breathing fans for a more comfortable experience.
With the disinfecting technology, the filters, which are removable, can last up to a month and a half – much longer than surgical masks and N95 variants
The mask is also equipped with built-in ultraviolet lights that disinfects filters within 10 minutes while connected to a power source through a USB port
Pengtao Yu, vice president of industrial design at Huami, told TechCrunch: ‘Whether people need to unlock their phones or not, they want to see each other’s faces at social occasions. ‘
The Chinese firm is in the process of developing an Aeri prototype, which they expect to have on the market in six to 12 months.
Until Huami releases its high-tech mask, a group of researchers created a tutorial of how to setup Apple’s Face ID to recognize your face while wearing a mask.
The video shows a user folding a brand-new mask in half, laying it on one side of their face and going through the process of setting up the biometric system.
Users can either ‘Reset Face ID’ or choose to make their masked face an ‘Alternate Appearance.’
Until Huami releases its high-tech mask, a group of researchers created a tutorial of how to setup Apple’s Face ID to recognize your face while wearing a mask
While half of your face is covered, pull up Face ID on your iPhone and follow the prompts
However, the team found that not all masks will work with the trick – it seems that those made of soft material are recognizable
Researchers at Tencent Security’s Xianwu Lab say to use a brand-new mask, fold it in half and hook the one side around your ear so it lays flat on your face.
Hold the mask in the lower middle position with your hand, pull it to the semi-masked state without any creases.
While half of your face is covered, pull up Face ID on your iPhone and follow the prompts.
However, the team found that not all masks will work with the trick – it seems that those made of soft material are recognizable.
‘We have tried many different types of masks, including ordinary disposable medical masks, N95 masks, masks with breathing valves, etc., which have not been found to be unsuitable,’ reads the blog.
‘The three-dimensional cup-shaped mask cannot be folded, but in theory, a similar entry operation can be performed by cutting half.’
They also note that it doesn’t always work so you may need to be patient or to just use your numerical passcode.