The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier (RM749) is the high-tech answer to a world where face coverings are an essential part of daily life. It is, however, so much more than a face mask – it is a thoughtfully designed on-the-go air purifier with some ingenious features engineered for daily use.
There is a smooth, techy look to it, one right at home with the smartphone generation. There is some necessary thickness to it, but not so bad as to look completely inelegant when worn. Its outer face is sleek and minimally featured, helping to downplay its presence a touch, but it could certainly be played up if desired. It certainly presents a stronger profile than paper or cloth, cool in the way of tech-chic.
Its main purpose is, of course, to clean air. It accomplishes this via two HEPA filters which the brand claims can remove some 94 per cent of dust and bacteria, as well as about 97 per cent of viruses. It also has a small pair of fans that draw air in through these filters. The device sits on the face principally through a silicone guard that ensconces the entire nostril and mouth area, so little – if any – air gets around the filter.
The constant whirring of the fans quickly gets tiresome – at least it would if they weren’t off most of the time. A sensor in the mask activates the fans only when it detects that the user is inhaling, and then they are quiet again, making it a generally unobtrusive process. The air pressure generated by the fans noticeably makes breathing easier, easing the everyday grind, and making it a surprisingly viable option for trips to the gym. For the office, the Air Purifier has a very useful party trick – at the push of a button, it will rebroadcast the wearer’s voice via a small speaker on the front, ensuring that they will be heard.
There has been a noticeable effort to make the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier comfortable and easy to deal with on a day-to-day. The medical-grade silicone of the face guard is soft and malleable, and this along with the adjustable ear straps helps with comfort. The face guard snaps on with magnets, making it very simple remove for the necessary daily washing. There is an additional paper filter underneath which is advised to be changed every day. The HEPA filters are accessible via small trapdoors on either side, and these are recommended to be replaced once a month.
There are some inconveniences to be aware of. While the PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is not exactly heavy – the whole contraption weighs about 120 grams – and the silicone face guard spreads the weight over a large area, it is still noticeably heftier than a paper or cloth mask. It is also hefty enough that it intrudes on the field of vision, though it is only really noticeable if you need to look down at the floor or your feet. It is also impossible to talk on the phone in the conventional against-the-cheek manner, and only somewhat more possible on speakerphone or on a wired headset. There is also the matter of the daily charging: it charges via USB-C and the battery lasts up to eight hours.
These issues will not, however, be insurmountable for those who need one of the Wearable Air Purifier’s essential features, namely: its advanced air filtration; its fan-assisted breathing for those who find layers of cloth or paper too restrictive; and the voice projection feature, which is tremendously helpful for those who need to attend meetings or make presentations and need to be heard while wearing a face covering.
Another reason is the simple curiosity factor, especially for tech fans. The world has changed remarkably over the last two years, and this is one way in which technology evolves. (Speaking of – the PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is Bluetooth-enabled, and a smartphone app is said to be coming soon that will allow fine-tuning of airflow, speaker volume, and breathing telemetry.) Before the pandemic, almost nobody would have ever thought that such a product would need to exist – and yet here we are.
