Well, Jetsons didn’t get the flying car right, but they sure as hell nailed the fact that we’d need to wear helmets outdoors!

Meet the NE-1, an experimental face-helmet that looks like something a bee-keeper would wear, but is in-fact protective headgear that’s both safe and comfortable to wear in the pandemic. Developed by Texas-based ValhallaMED, the NE-1 helmet combines the face-shield and mask into a singular device you wear on your head. Fitted with a powered air system and a patent-pending filtration mechanism, the NE-1 routes air-flow to make sure the air you breathe is 95% pure, but without needing an air-tight seal like most conventional masks. Not only does the mask filter the air you inhale AND exhale, it comes fitted with coolers that keep you breezy and comfortable outdoors. The cool air, aside from giving you overall comfort, also helps the NE-1’s wide visor from misting or fogging up. The result is similar to wearing an actual bike-helmet. Face-protection and full visibility, albeit with two significant upgrades… clean air, and active powered cooling that lets you wear the helmet for hours.

One would argue that a futuristic, Jetsons-inspired helmet would be incomplete with its own comms system… which is why the NE-1 is outfitted with a Bluetooth audio system that lets you both speak and listen to others while you’ve got the mask on! The mask comes with a flexible neoprene neck-seal and a unique shape, accommodating a wide range of face sizes, and even letting you comfortably wear it with spectacles or sunglasses!

Designer: ValhallaMED

The Bluetooth audio and external speakers are ideal for “close-talkers” and “low-talkers” alike.