Airism masks, anti-ageing masks, masks inspired by scuba diving gear — mask evolution has been truly impressive, but with this new contraption, it's like the future arrived early. LG just announced its PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier, which uses two H13 HEPA filters similar to the HEPA filters used in LG's home air purifier products.

As consumers, our biggest question about the Wearable Air Purifier is how comfortable it would be to wear it. While it doesn't seem like wearing a device with fan machinery on your face would be that comfy or feel that light, LG says "the design makes it possible to wear the unit comfortably for hours on end." According to the press release, the device is ergonomically designed and based on extensive facial shape analysis, to fit snugly on the user’s face to minimise air leakage around the nose and chin. There's an efficient and lightweight battery that offers up to eight hours of operation in low mode and two hours on high. The fans automatically speed up to assist air intake and slow down to reduce resistance when exhaling to make breathing effortless. It comes with a case that has UV-LED lights to kill germs and charge the mask at the same time. 

There's no info yet on how exactly how heavy the mask is, or its price — we'll find out when it launches in the fourth quarter in selected markets. Meanwhile, we make do with our low-tech surgical and cloth masks. Stay safe!

Pics: LG Electronics