COVID-19: Danielle Baskin's Facial Recognition N95 Masks Go Viral Worldwide

San Francisco-based Danielle Baskin is a product designer, situation designer, visual artist, and the CEO of Dialup, a voice-based social network. Optical illusions are her professional specialty and they include selling ice cream tricycles to Nickelodeon, branded avocados to Salesforce, and bicycle helmets to Reebok.

Baskin is in the news for her latest venture Resting Risk Face, a company that will print user’s faces on masks, making them effective with facial recognition technology while wearing them.

"I was discussing whether or not N95 masks were effective as a protective measure against the coronavirus and someone brought up the fact that you couldn't unlock your phone while wearing one," Baskin told Dezeen.

"My immediate thought was to put a face on the mask."

"I was aware that it is a bit dystopian to sell a virus-related product, so I played into the dystopia," Baskin said. Resting Risk Face describes itself as a maker of "trendy dystopian product".

"I'm waiting to make them, until there's no longer a mask shortage, but in the interim, I'm running tests on different manufacturing techniques," said Baskin. "So many people in the medical industry have reached out saying that they'd love these, as well as cancer-patients, people with severe seasonal allergies, and children," she added.

Clearly, Baskin is a bastion of creativity running wild, and we love it. The possibilities are endless. One could have masks for different moods. Or a series of nature masks — for me I would have a peony mask for my flower choice.

"Faces might be one feature, but I think other unique prints would be great for those who need to wear masks on a daily basis for life."