Apple announced that its design teams created its first-ever FDA-approved protective face masks that its retail and corporate staff can wear while working.
Apple recently revealed to the public its newest innovation and it is something that can make heads turn. Design teams at the Cupertino-based company have come up with two types of protected masks called the Apple Face Mask and the ClearMask. The tech giant also announced that the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the two products, adding yet another milestone in the company's history. In the case of ClearMask, Apple said it is the first-ever FDA-approved translucent face mask.
Reports say, however, that the FDA-approved Apple Face Mask and the ClearMask are only for the exclusive use of its retail and corporate employees, meaning the public would have to be content at staring at Apple employees wearing the masks.
According to Apple, it was the company's in-house Engineering and Industrial Design team that developed the Apple Face Mask at its headquarters in Cupertino, while the design of the FDA-approved ClearMask was sourced in partnership with the Gallaudet University, an institution that specializes in educating students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Apple said that it is also considering plans to come up with the company's very own version of the transparent mask. MacRumors received an image of the masks' designs sent by an Apple employee last week.
The company also sent prototype samples of both Apple Face Mask and the ClearMask to the FDA for testing. Later, the federal agency gave its stamp of approval and now, the FDA-approved masks are on their way to hundreds of Apple stores across the country.
The Apple Face Mask is a three-layer design face covering that can filter both inbound and outbound particles similar to many cloth masks. Users can wash and reuse the mask up to five times. Both FDA-approved Apple Face Mask and ClearMask feature a triangle shape to make room for the nose without fogging glasses. The chin section has a round shape and the masks have adjustable strings that fit snugly to the ears.
In the case of the ClearMask, which is the first FDA-approved transparent surgical mask, Apple said it allows people to see the entire face of the wearer so those who are deaf or have difficulty hearing to understand what the wearer is saying as it shows. In an interview with Bloomberg, the Cupertino-giant said that the Apple Face Mask and the ClearMask were both products of "careful research and testing," allowing the researchers to determine the right materials to use in filtering the air without disrupting the medical personal protective equipment supply chain.
Apple said their employees can expect to receive the FDA-approved Apple Face Mask and ClearMask in the next two weeks. The company said they recommend their employees to wear these specially-designed masks as they offer the best protection for both employees of Apple and its customers. The tech giant also provides basic surgical masks to customers visiting their stores, although these are not the ones that the Engineering and Industrial Design teams at Apple or Gallaudet University designers made.
