Italian start-up Narvalo has launched an IoT-enabled mask that monitors the wearer’s breath and constantly optimises the airflow inside to increase the experience of freshness.

After the success of their first mask, Narvalo launched the smart upgrade on Kickstarter last month. Called Active Shield, it has an integrated smart fan that constantly optimises the air flow inside the mask, therefore reducing the accumulation of heat, moisture and CO₂. Simultaneously, the abundant presence of filtered air inside can make it seem to the user as if they were not wearing a mask at all.

“The air we breathe in our cities today holds many dangers to our wellbeing,” said Narvalo co-founder Ewoud Westerduin. “We aim to create a community of people that act upon this problem and change their habits.”

Within the first two hours on Kickstarter, half of the €50,000 target was reached.

Its previous mask won the Red Dot Awards 2021 in the category of product design.

The Urban Active is based on the same platform as its predecessor the Urban, a mask that filters over 99% of pollutants such as particulate matter, pollens, odours, viruses and bacteria.

In addition, the Urban Active Mask upgrade comes with integrated technology, adding a dedicated app that monitors breath. Thanks to the sensors in the mask and the smartphone’s GPS, the app can monitor breathing performance and provide a report on the quality of the air encountered.

“We want to change the mask from a protective device into an informative device, which is able to provide important insights regarding the user’s breathing performances,” said Venanzio Arquilla, president of Narvalo.

Narvalo started well before the Covid-19 pandemic as a project against air pollution at Italian university Politecnico di Milano. It is collaborating with BLS, the main Italian producer of respiratory protection products.

The product is available for pre-order on Kickstarter until April 2nd.