Face ID Mask lets you use face unlock while protecting you from viruses

Doesn’t currently work with 3D face unlocking.

What you need to know

• San Francisco based design firm Resting Risk Face will sell you an N95 respiratory mask with your face printed on it.
• The masks can be helpful for using facial unlock on your phones, but will not work with phones that use 3D face mapping such as the Pixel 4 and iPhone.
• The masks will retail for $40 apiece but won’t go on sale until there is no longer a global mask shortage.

With the coronavirus outbreak creating havoc in China and abroad, it has caused a surge in the market for face masks. Some factories in China have even been converted to crank out more masks to attempt to keep up with the demand. While wearing a face mask may help protect you from the spread of viruses, one thing it doesn’t help with is using face unlock on your phone.

Over the past couple of years, using face unlock as the primary way to secure your phone has become hugely popular. Many modern-day phones come with the option, but it doesn’t function if a large section of your face is blocked. Fortunately, a design firm out of San Francisco called Resting Risk Face came up with a clever, albeit ridiculous solution, printing your face on an N95 respiratory mask.

The website itself plays up the absurdity of the idea, but will gladly print you a mask for $40 a pop. However, you won’t be able to get one until there is no longer a global mask shortage. For now, you can simply sign up and join the waiting list. Once the masks do go on sale, you’ll be able to upload a picture of yourself, tweak the layout on the mask, and then have it printed.

The company uses natural dyes, saying it makes the mask non-toxic and won’t affect the breathability. Resting Risk Face will even include straps to match your skin tone.

There is one massive caveat with the Face ID masks though, it won’t work with phones that use 3D depth sensing, such as the Pixel 4 and the iPhone. Which makes perfect sense, the mask is changing the shape of your face after all. Regardless, there are plenty of Android phones with face unlock that work without 3D face mapping. If you happen to have one of those and a spare $40 lying around, this piece of dystopian fashion can be yours.

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