Production Club designs drink- and vape-friendly PPE suit for clubbing during a pandemic

Creative studio Production Club has designed a personal protective suit for clubbing in the time of coronavirus, which includes features for phone integration and beverage and vape consumption.

Production Club's concept for the personal protective equipment (PPE) suit, called Micrashell, is designed to offer people a way of safely gathering and partying at gigs and nightclubs during a pandemic.

Described by the studio as "the future of human interaction", the design comprises an air-tight top suit and helmet that covers the hands, arms, upper torso and head.

It has a number of features that cater specifically to its intended party environment, including an in-suit beverage and vape supply system, built-in speakers and smartphone integration.

"With everyone in our industry focused on developing virtual solutions, we decided to focus on something more emotional, physical and inherently human, so the industry as a whole could have a broader chance to recover promptly," said Production Club head of inventions Miguel Risueño.

"We believe events are essential to the human experience and create the memories that define our lives," added Corey Johnson, head of special projects.

"While we might not see a Coachella-sized event for some time, we are excited by the challenge to create innovative solutions to push forward quality live entertainment and human connection," he continued.

As the suit only covers the top half of the body, wearers can easily perform normal activities while still being protected, such as using the restroom or even engaging in sexual intercourse, the studio said.

So-called loading chambers positioned on the chest underneath the helmet allow users to safely consume drinks and vape via "easy-snap" sealed canisters that aren't accessible to anyone other than the wearer and the bartender.

The air-tight top-suit and helmet are made from a high-performance and cut-resistant fabric that is also easy to disinfect.

A clear but stiff shield protects the eye area while allowing for easy visibility. The rest of the helmet is made from a softer, yet still see-through material, to allow the user to move their neck around more freely.

The helmet also features a particulate filtration system based on the N95 standard approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

A wireless voice communication system is integrated into the suit, enabling users to control the audio levels of different external sources individually, as well as modifying how their own voice is presented to others in real time.

An internal speaker system plays live music to its wearer in three modes: dry (directly streamed from the DJ or band), wet (as an emulation of the room's sound based on psychoacoustics), or as a passthrough from the room via the suit's embedded microphones.

A custom pocket in the suit holds and connects to the user's smartphone to allow them to control certain features via their device. This includes a camera that can be used to take photos and videos of the event.

The suit is secured to the body with expandable straps, making it suitable for people of different sizes. These straps can be customised with add-ons such as patches, velcro, magnets and hooks.

Rows of RGBW lights can also be customised to act as indicators of the wearer's mood, needs and messages. For example, a rainbow lighting effect across the suit could express joy, while a static red light could express that the wearer is busy.

This is the first time Production Club – a multidisciplinary studio based in Los Angeles and Spain – has delved into product design. Usually its work involves creating immersive experiences for the music, tech and gaming industries.

The company has previously designed installations and events for artists like Skrillex, Grimes, Zedd and The Chainsmokers, as well as companies such as Amazon, YouTube and Epic Games.

The team worked in 12 hour shifts between Spain and Los Angeles until the Micrashell design was completed, in a bid to provide solutions to those whose work depends on social interaction in close proximity.

Many other architects, designers, institutions and brands across the globe have also been focusing their efforts on making face shields to help the health-workers fighting coronavirus.

Foster + Partners designed a laser-cut face shield that can be easily disassembled, sanitised and reused after wearing, while Nike used materials usually found in its shoes and clothing to create a face shield that it is distributing to hospitals in Oregon, USA.

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