I miss Cyberpunk 2077. Having spent the end of last year happily rampaging through Night City in what is now a remarkably complete-feeling game, I felt a certain sadness uninstalling it. The charms of its cyberpunk dystopian future won me over in the end, and saying goodbye was a bittersweet moment.
This LED full-face mask (and accompanying video), however, has certainly taken me back to those neon-lit vibes (via Tom's Hardware). It's the work of Sean Hodgins, a self-described filmmaker, engineer, and "potential time traveller."
This isn't Hodgins' first attempt at a full-face display mask, as an earlier iteration made use of a projector attached to the chin to display images on what was essentially a multi-faceted projection surface.
This newer model, however, makes use of multiple addressable LED matrix displays originally designed by Hodgins for an earlier project.
The mask design itself was simplified down in order to minimise the facets (and thereby the number of matrix units required, and the complexity of their shapes), utilising a methodology Hodgins calls SEA, or "Simplify Everything Always."
The video's full of OG Blade Runner-style voiceovers (it isn't just me that's seen the original theatrical cut, is it?) and thumping synthwave basslines, which definitely adds to the vibe that Hodgins sees himself as a futuristic technoarchitect. Or perhaps it's all tongue in cheek, as I find myself increasingly unable to tell in this modern age.
Anyway, the end result is a wearable mask that can display virtually anything on its outer LED displays via a phone interface control mechanism, from neon waves to an animated rendition of the Doom Marine—running at a crunchy eight frames per second.
As Hodgins says though, the result is "good enough" to create a convincing effect.
As for its intended purpose, beyond being something I want to wear to my next meeting? Well, Hodgins gives us a clue at the end of the video.
"You may be asking: Why do all this? Why spend so much time just to hide your face behind an overly-expensive face heater?" he deadpans, as the synthwave score rises. "What if I told you there was reason to this madness?"
"We're being watched. Tracked. Followed. Something needs to be done. I don't have all the answers. But I've got some solutions.
"And we're going to figure it out. One burnt pixel at a time."
Cool. Anyway, whether this is simply a neat project to take to your next underground rave, or as the video suggests, a potential anti-surveillance mechanism, it's difficult to argue with the stunning visual effect created as a result.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to swing my leather trench coat around in the rain and march off moodily into the night. The future awaits, people. And if Hodgins is to be believed, it may well be neon-lit—and faceless.
