Designers comes up with mask that resembles your own face so you can still use facial recognition on your phone
A designer has unveiled a new mask that lets you continue using Face ID to unlock your iPhone or other device, but won’t make them yet.
Designs for a breathing mask that apparently allows wearers to unlock their mobiles while shielding themselves from deadly viruses have surfaced online.
The bizarre gear will strap over your nose and mouth and feature an image of the lower half of your face so it can “work with facial recognition software”.
Sales of medical masks have gone through the roof in recent weeks is response to the coronavirus outbreak, which has so far killed more than 1,700 people with 71,000 cases globally.
The masks supposedly protect users by blocking infectious particles but there are doubts over how effective they are.
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One issue facing mask wearers is that they render facial recognition software on smartphones – such as Apple’s Face ID – useless.
The technology typically scans minute details of your face, including the measurements of your mouth or nose, to verify your identity before unlocking your phone.
Now a San Francisco-based designer claims to have found a way around the issue with a new mask that “looks just like you”.
Danielle Baskin, a “product designer and visual artist”, according to her website, said her service slaps the images onto masks with an “N95” filtration rating – kit typically worn by hospital staff.
Made this service that prints your face on an N95 mask, so you can protect people from viral epidemics while still being able to unlock your phone.
— Danielle Baskin (@djbaskin) February 15, 2020
😷+👃ðŸ»ðŸ‘ƒðŸ½ðŸ‘ƒðŸ¿ðŸ‘„=🔓https://t.co/SXslSjoiMz pic.twitter.com/rByMBwdPB8
Danielle included a link to a website that explains more about the product, which isn’t available to buy yet.
Customers are encouraged to upload a pictures of their face to the site before the process begins.
“After uploading your face, we use computational mapping to convert your facial features into an image printed onto the surface of N95 surgical masks,” the website states.
“You can use your mask for everyday life as a barrier for airborne particle droplets.”
It’s not yet clear if the website is a stunt.
A section on the page addresses whether or not the whole thing is a jokes, stating: “Yes. No. We’re not sure. Viruses are not a joke.”
Danielle’s masks will apparently cost $US40 ($A60) when they go on sale.
It’s not clear when, or where, they’ll hit shelves. The website states they won’t go on sale “while there’s still a global mask shortage”.
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On Twitter, Danielle said: “To all those inquiring: No, I don’t have plans to produce these *during* the global mask shortage. There’s a waitlist and no launch date.”
Recent demand for medical masks has sparked nationwide shortages in China and beyond as panicked residents flock to pharmacies.
There are also doubts over whether the masks would even fool your phone’s facial recognition scanners.
Technology like Apple’s Face ID scans the depth of your facial features, which the flat material of a mask cannot replicate.
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On Twitter, Danielle added: “I’m testing the facial recognition reliability across devices. But what if you just want to be recognised by your friends?”
Described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “public enemy number one”, Coronavirus, now known as 2019-nCoV, is rapidly spreading across the globe.
If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected coronavirus infection, according to WHO.
Masks are only effective when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.
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