Skyted’s voice-capturing mask was introduced recently, and I had the opportunity to check it out at CES 2024. Our previous article covers the technology, but what is the experience like in person?
“We launched a mobile application that provides information about the size of your ‘sound bubble.’ For instance, when you’re on an airplane, you don’t want the person next to you to hear what you’re saying,” explained Gauthier Daridon, a connectivity engineer at Skyted, during an interview with TechCrunch at CES in Las Vegas. “So our application will indicate if you are ‘perceptible’ and ‘intelligible’ at specific distances.”
Daridon showcased the mask and spoke in a regular voice. Using a pair of headphones, I could hear him quite clearly. Without the headphones, I could hear a slight mumble from approximately three feet away, but I was unable to make out the individual words. A couple of steps away, the mumbling blended into the general noise of the crowded showroom floor.
Gauthier Daridon holds up a prototype of the mask to his face. Image Credits: TechCrunch / Haje Kamps
The company, established in 2021, currently has about 20 employees and secured $1 million in funding. Roughly half of the funding came from angels and other small investors, while the other half was provided by the French government. This week, the company initiated a Kickstarter campaign, selling nearly 300 masks, totaling around $64,000 worth of pledges.
Personally, I’m still unsure about the practical applications for this device. It’s challenging to think of many scenarios where talking discreetly is essential, and wearing a device like this would be socially acceptable. The team has some potential uses in mind:
“We’re examining various customer segments, primarily businesses and open spaces such as offices, where this could be significant. This would also be beneficial in settings like call centers, creating considerable business opportunities. Additionally, we are considering B2C applications such as gaming,” explained Daridon. “Special Forces approached us to design a mask for them so they can remain completely silent during events where voice cannot be used.”
Thus far, it appears to be a solution in search of a problem. However, that’s the exciting aspect of cutting-edge technology: Sometimes, the opportunities are unknown, and a Kickstarter campaign is necessary to discover them. I look forward to monitoring the company and its products as it progresses toward shipping the first batch of products by the end of this year.
