AirPop picks CES to launch new 'connected' mask

I'm sure we'll see a gaggle of new masks at 2021 CES, but the first and one I took notice of is courtest of AirPop.

It's the AirPop Active+ with Halo Sensor tracks a combination of syndicated air quality data and information about your breathing rate, helping users take control of their respiratory health​. It's all done wihen paired with an app.

This might be the world’s first smart Air Wearable - the Active+ Smart Mask with Halo sensor. Built to help wearers get a deeper understanding of their respiratory health, the Halo sensor bridges the gap between outside air and internal respiration. With the ability to capture breathing-related data, and correlate that information with real-time data about air quality and location, the Halo sensor can accurately tell wearers when to replace their mask’s filter, and help wearers unlock new biometric data that can be useful during everyday use and sports activities.

The AirPop Halo sensor - which is integrated into the AirPop Active+ Smart Mask - works in tandem with the AirPop app, which uses data collected by the sensor to give a visual overview of the wearer’s breathing behavior, breathing cycles, and even the pollutants that the mask has blocked during use. The Halo can also be used in Active Mode, which tracks metrics like breaths per minute, breaths per pace, and more - all of which can be seen straight from the Activity tab in the app. AirPop partnered with frog design, a leading global design and strategy consultancy, to rethink the design of the Halo app.

The app can also notify the user when it’s time to replace AirPop’s snap-in filters, which block >99% PM0.3, including dust, allergens, particulate matter and microbial particles. Each of the four supplied AirPop filters come with a unique QR code that can be scanned by the AirPop app when it’s installed. This not only registers that a new filter has been inserted, but it also helps users ensure that they have a legitimate AirPop filter.

“We are incredibly excited to launch the Active+ Smart Mask with Halo sensor. This product embodies the AirPop mission - to help people better understand and take control of their respiratory health through a human-centered approach to design, science and technology,” said Chris Hosmer, Founder, AirPop. “I was inspired to start AirPop in 2015 because my daughter suffered a series of acute respiratory reactions to noxious air years earlier and the experience of feeling under informed and feeling helpless stayed with me. Since then, we have innovated a full range of adult and kids products for both high-performance and day-to-day use alike.”

The Halo sensor connects to your Android or iOS device through Bluetooth, and the coin-cell battery lasts six months before needing to be replaced. The AirPop app also supports sharing data via Apple HealthKit, and allows users to see their breathing data alongside other previously-collected health data.

The Halo sensor comes with an AirPop Active+ Smart Mask, which is designed for incredible on-the-go protection. The AirPop Active+ is washable, and is built with a 360 degree sealing, medical-grade soft touch membrane. And, thanks to the 3D dome structure, the filter core is kept off the wearer’s face for improved breathability and comfort.

The AirPop Halo, with an AirPop Active+ Smart Mask and four filters, will be available in the U.S.A. and Canada from AirPopHealth.com in January 2021, and select national retailers in early 2021, for $149.99.