Face Mask With 199 Smart LEDs Lights Up To Showcase Your Emotions

Face masks have a rep for muting non-verbal communication and making people harder to read, but that doesn’t mean they have to be that way. How about one that makes you more expressive than your usual self, essentially turning you into a walking emoji?

Unveiled at CES 2022, this protective cover by startup Qudi is billed as the world’s first emotional LED mask, supposedly lighting up in response to your feelings and reacting in tandem with facial movements. The Qudi Mask (priced at US$289) displays an open mouth as you speak, as well as tells the other party of the conversation “Yes” or “No” when you nod or shake your head.

Since much of emotion comes from the eyes, this gadget—lit up by 199 smart LED pixels—is a full-face one and sports animated, translucent glass goggles, along with a mouthpiece that shows a smile, frown, and more.

For a spectrum of personalities, the face covering brings three modes that span a variety of animations. In ‘Robot Mode’, it displays six moods, namely love, smiling, shocked, confused, angry, as well as a cat face. ‘Equalizer Mode’ adjusts to the music streaming on your smartphone, while ‘Demo Mode’ cycles between animations every five seconds.

At long last, you can now wear your heart on your sleeve mask.

[via HYPEBEAST and Lowyat.NET, images via Qudi]