A Los Angeles-based creative studio, Production Club has come up with a prototype for a personal protective suit designed to offer people a safe way for social gathering and partying at nightclubs in the time of coronavirus.
Known as Micrashell, this PPE (personal protective equipment) suit resembles a colourful offshoot of a hazmat suit, featuring an air-tight top suit, a helmet with air filtration and breathing system covering arms, hands and upper torso and head.
Dubbed by the studio as &ldquothe future of human interaction&rdquo the additional features are specifically designed to cater to a party environment, including in-built speakers, a beverage and vape supply system and smartphone integration.
As reported by Dezeen, the creators of the suit wanted it to be less &ldquoscience fiction&rdquo and more fashion-forward and approachable. They took design ideas from designers like Yohji Yamamoto and brands like Nike Lab and Ambush Design.
"The Micrashell was born from concern for our community, and concern about reckless social behaviour," Miguel Risueño, the studio's head of inventions, told Dezeen.
"After witnessing the events industry fall into an unprecedented recession, and seeing large groups of people ignore social distancing directives in order to go out and party, we felt obligated to address both issues and find a solution that benefited all," he continued.
"We have been physically socialising in a similar way to what we have done now for tens of thousands of years, so the consequences of an abrupt cut in human-to-human interaction for a long period of time could be catastrophic."
"The bottom line is mental health, as a society can&rsquot positively evolve if we are unhappy," added Risueño.
Since the suit covers only the top half of the body, wearers can perform normal day-to-day activities while wearing it such as using restrooms and also engage in sexual intercourse, said the studio.
This air-tight upper torso suit and helmet is made from a cut-resistant high-performance fabric which is easy to disinfect. To protect the face area, a clear but stiff shield has been attached which allows easy visibility. The rest of the helmet, however, is made from a soft yet see-through material, which will allow the wearers to move their head around freely. The helmet&rsquos air particulate filtration system is based on the N95 standard approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
As of size, the suit is secured to the body with expandable straps, making it usable for all body sizes and types. Customisable add-ons such as patches, Velcro, magnets and hooks can also be attached to the straps.
The RGBW lights on the suits are also customisable according to a wearer&rsquos mood, needs and messages. For example, red static light could express that the user is busy, while a rainbow one could indicate joy.
It is this multidisciplinary company&rsquos first time delving into product design. It usually creates immersive experiences revolving around music, tech and the gaming industry.
Production Club has previously designed installations and events for artists like Skrillex, Zedd, Grimes and The Chainsmokers along with companies such as Amazon, YouTube and Epic Games.