TrueContour: Custom, transparent, reusable masks made with 3D face scans

6 points by jschwartz11 5 years ago · 1 comment · 2 min read

Hi HN! I’m Jon, co-founder of TrueContour (truecontourmasks.com). We’re making custom masks using 3D face scans that can be taken on any iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.

Having a custom mask allows it to be incredibly comfortable and protective while also being transparent and reusable. Today we’re launching our first mask, the TC1, on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/truecontourmasks/truecontour-custom-and-transparent-face-masks.

I’ve been using 3D printers for a long time now. My last company, Voodoo Manufacturing, ran a 200+ 3D printer factory where we made all sorts of stuff. I’ve always looked for opportunities to apply digital design/mfg tools to products in order to make them significantly better than they were before. When the pandemic hit, there was a lot of speculation around using 3D printing to make custom face masks. However, at the end of the day, I never thought it made a ton of sense. But then I realized that 3D printing could be used as just a step in the process, which would open up new materials.

After a few months of prototyping, we arrived at the TC1 Mask. I can tell you from wearing one for a while now that it’s significantly more comfortable than any other mask I’ve worn. And having it be transparent makes a big difference in my ability to communicate with others.

We hope that with the TC1 Mask people can keep themselves and those around them safe while maintaining closer-to-normal human connection and communication. Beyond casual use, we think the TC1 could be impactful for people across a variety of professions - teachers, nurses, restaurant workers, flight attendants and many more.

We’re excited to put our mask out into the world and want to hear what people think. We have lots of ideas for where this can go, but want first-hand feedback from customers before we make any major decisions. Thanks for taking the time to read this - we’d love to hear what HN thinks and are happy to answer questions. Thanks!