I saw a story on the news this morning about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). In many places, people are wearing surgical masks to keep from contracting this disease. The story was mainly about the variety of printing/patterns available on surgical masks.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately in some cases), any mask, printed or plain, hides a great deal of the wearer's face. I propose a service that imprints surgical masks with an image of the face underneath the mask.

In order to obtain an image to print on a more or less flat surface that will then look correct when the mask is worn, a camera would scan around the customer's face in a similar manner to panoramic x-ray machines used by dentists.

The portion of the image that corresponds to the section of the face covered by a mask would be imprinted on the mask. Thus, the appearance of the wearer's face would be maintained as if the mask were transparent (sort of).
-- half, Apr 05 2003

Panoramic x-ray machine http://www.pancorp.com/
[half, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Trying one on for size. http://www.pranxste...om/chickennose.html
[Amos Kito, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Jacko http://anomalies-un...ed.com/Jackson.html
As long as there are exceptions for those times when you *really* don’t want to know what’s under the mask. – Croissant. [Shz, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Nice SARS-protection face masks http://www.smh.com....age.html?picindex=0
(...from the Sydney Morning Herald) [hippo, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Glad it doesn't use the actual Dentist's photos. That'd be nowhere near as frightening as the disease, but still. Horrible pandemic. Good idea. Perhaps an option for some photoshopped/gimped teeth.
-- thumbwax, Apr 05 2003


That would be creepy. croissant :)
-- sambwiches, Apr 05 2003


These would also prove invaluable to talentless ventriloquists.
-- FarmerJohn, Apr 05 2003


what about custom patterns? you could get things like peace signs, favorite quotes, etc.
-- igirl, Apr 05 2003


I've seen something like this in a chindogu book but I can't seem to google it.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 06 2003


Hey, you said that without moving your lips.
-- egbert, Apr 06 2003


For some reason Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face" is resonating in my head.

Make it stop please.. aggggggghhhh.
-- wugah, Apr 06 2003


They already sell "Hello Kitty" (a Japanese cartoon character) masks. There was also a news report of a woman that sewed sequins on her (fabric)mask.

I imagine if you'd used your idea, but got the dimensions or the positioning/slant of the mask only just ever-so-slightly wrong, you'd look very scary indeed.

//fortunately in some cases// Some girls look fabulous in masks. There's this one news reporter and until she started wearing a mask, I'd never noticed her beautiful eyes. They seem to sing. I know, it's a strange analogy, but it's truly heart-warming.
-- FloridaManatee, Apr 07 2003


Nice idea but slight problem with this, face masks don't stop viruses. you need full NBC mask for that, but even then if you get virus on your skin you are still buggered.

(Best bet is to give the money to your local virus research centre and help them find a cure....)
-- Lunartick, Apr 07 2003


Most masks won't stop TB, SARS or other airborne or aerosol deployed diseases. In the case of SARS, they are partly effective because they prevent you touching your nose and face.

As I typed that last sentence, a colleague came over and coughed right in my face. I wasn't wearing a mask. Thanks, buddy.

They also protect you from (macro) droplets expelled during a cough or a sneeze. If you are wearing one right at that moment.
-- FloridaManatee, Apr 07 2003


It wasn't my idea to wear the masks, I was just offering an additional style choice.

//Clear masks seems to be the most obvious solution// True. I thought of that and it would negate this idea, but I've never seen any. I've also never seen any fabric that appeared to have the properties of a surgical mask in addition to being transparent. Then again, I've never really looked for it.
-- half, Apr 07 2003


it would be funny to use that technology that darpa is all hopped up on. the see through cloak. using little mirrors and cameras. so people look at you and see the wall/background behind. omg a new strain. again eyes w/o a face.
-- TonyJaguar, May 23 2006



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