Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu by Kunihiko Sato Innovation Laboratory

Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu by Kunihiko Sato Innovation Laboratory is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award de Bronze in Disseny Social Competition Category.

BronzeSocial· 2022

Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu

by Kunihiko Sato Innovation Laboratory

Client: Innovation Laboratory, Inc.

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Social Category

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The Design

About Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu

Voice Mask és un dispositiu portàtil conceptual que silencia el que l'usuari diu en veu alta. S'utilitza tecnologia de cancel·lació de soroll per emmascarar la veu emetent l'ona sonora oposada. Voice Mask facilita la realització de reunions en línia en llocs públics, com ara una oficina gran o un cafè. El dispositiu ajuda a evitar la divulgació d'informació confidencial i evita molestar altres persones properes. En ús, Voice Mask es porta al voltant del coll i es col·loca de manera que cobreixi la boca, d'una manera similar a un suport d'harmònica. El cos plegable es fabrica mitjançant motlle per injecció de plàstic i és fàcil de transportar.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu és un guanyador del guardó A' Design Award de Bronze, un reconeixement altament prestigiós concedit a dissenys sobresortints que es distingeixen per la creativitat, l'enginy i l'astúcia. Els guanyadors de Bronze són artefactes ampliament hàbils i sorprenentment creatius que autentiquen la vasta experiència, la imaginació i el recurs dels seus dissenyadors. Es preveu que Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu sigui un objecte molt apreciat, admirat i estimat, notablement professional i innovador. Aquest disseny guanyador del guardó A' Design Award de Bronze incorpora les millors pràctiques de l'art, la ciència, el disseny i la tecnologia i és excel·lent per la seva atenció al detall. Voice Mask Dispositiu Portàtil de Silenciament de Veu satisfà esplèndidament les necessitats, toca els desitjos, encisa els sentiments i crida la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Voice Mask is a concept wearable device that mutes whatever you say aloud while wearing it. It utilises noise-cancelling technology to mask the user's voice by emitting the opposite sound wave. Voice Mask can be used when participating in online meetings in a public space to avoid bothering others and to protect confidential information. When in use, the Voice Mask is worn around the neck and positioned to cover the user's mouth. As it is foldable, it is also easy to carry around.
Dimensions & Packaging: W150mm x D50mm x H99mm (folded)
W150mm x D98mm x H205mm (unfolded)
Tags: Wearable Device, Product Design, Social Design, Invention, Mask, Covid-19, Home Office, Privacy, Headset, Microphone
Production Technology: Plastic Injection Molding
Design Challenge: Another design challenge was figuring out the best solution for securing a heavy device around the mouth. We researched similar devices that already exist in the world, such as headphones and mouse shields to finally decide on a necklace-like design inspired by harmonica holders used while playing the guitar.
Research: In the process of applying for a patent for an idea, the inventors conducted interviews with acoustic experts (PhD students in audio technology) to verify the technical certainty. Their feedback was that although technically challenging, it was possible to cancel sounds that are diffusing into open space. This encouraged the inventors to go forward with filing for a patent. In the process of considering the design, the team created product renders and wearable prototypes using a 3D printer and conducted user interviews. A total number of 4 interviews with potential users were conducted. Research revealed that the Voice Mask will likely be used in various locations that are busy with people, such as a large office or a café. This meant that it was essential for the product to be portable so that it can be carried around easily. It also meant that the people were highly conscious of how the device looked wearing it. With consideration for portability and fashion, the product design was revised from a headphone-like shape to one like a harmonica holder.
Inspiration: In 2015, the team conducted research on the future of work in 2025. A future scenario was envisioned in which work from anywhere has become the norm. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the change. People can now work from the comfort of their home or their favourite cafe. However, this created a new problem: meetings at home or a cafe can disturb others and lead to unwanted information disclosure. The research insights led to Voice Mask patent registration and the subsequent concept design.
Project Duration: The idea was created in 2015. It was filed for a patent in Japan in 2016 and it was and successfully registered in 2018. The design of the product started in May 2021 and was completed in February 2022.
Patents: VOICE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM AND VOICE SUPPRESSION DEVICE. JP2018066780A. INNOVATION LAB INC. 2018. Japan Patent Office.
Team Members: Designer: Kunihiko Sato Inventor & Researcher : Yukinobu Yokota, Hayato Shin
Image Credits: all Image Creator(Rendering Image) Kunihiko Sato, 2022.