In the realm of unconventional gadgets making their debut at CES, Skyted, a Toulouse-based startup founded by former Airbus VP Stéphane Hersen and acoustical engineer Frank Simon, is turning heads with its peculiar offerings for CES 2024. Enter the “Mobility Privacy Mask” and “Hybrid Silent Mask” – face-worn accessories designed to “absorb voice frequencies” in noisy environments such as planes, trains, and rideshares, according to Hersen.
The visionary behind Skyted sees these strap-secured masks as an ideal solution for commuters,CES 2024. business executives, and travelers, allowing them to converse in silence irrespective of how bustling or public the surroundings may be. Admittedly lacking in discretion and style, these masks weigh around half a pound (220 grams). Despite their weight and appearance, Hersen argues that the compromise is worthwhile for the privacy the masks purportedly provide.
Crafted from sound-dampening material developed by Simon during his tenure at ONERA, the French aerospace lab (originally intended for jet engines),CES 2024. Skyted’s masks sync with a smartphone app, either through wires or wirelessly. The app includes a pass-through toggle to transmit speech through the phone’s speaker, minimizing the need to remove the mask. It also calculates the wearer’s “voice level” and provides insights into “perceptibility” and “intelligibility” – akin to a Fitbit for speech.
According toCES 2024. Skyted, these masks muffle 80% of the wearer’s voice while enhancing volume in voice and video calls by isolating external noise. The masks boast testing with leading, albeit undisclosed, transportation providers and receive support from ONERA and the European Space Agency.
However, to some observers, these masks appear to be a speculative venture.CES 2024. Skyted’s marketing on its website includes unique in-app features like a “voice awareness” mode, allowing parents to silence their noisy, mask-donning children during video games – although the mechanics remain unclear. Notably, Skyted positions the masks as an “immersive” way to play games and dedicates a section of its website to defense and military applications. The company claims collaboration with the French military and the Defence Innovation Agency, developing a custom mask exclusively for submariners and special ops.
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