We can’t even begin to contemplate a future where we have to wear gas masks just to fend off air pollution. Brazilian designers Martina Pagura and Pedro Nakazato Andrade have no such qualms, however. As part of a two-week workshop on wearable, interactive responses to climate change, the duo created the W/Air, an oxygen-filtering breathing “necklace” that removes carbon dioxide from the air, stores it in a battery-like device, and then converts it into electricity for later use.

AIR SUPPLY

Resembling something from a future pollution-filled dystopia, W/Air also monitors the quality of the ambient air. When pollution levels spike, the mask sounds an alarm to tell its wearer to raise the nose-and-mouth hood. The mask pumps in life-giving oxygen, while distilling carbon dioxide from respiration and the environment.

The mask filters carbon dioxide from the air, then stores and converts it into electricity. 

Stored in an attached cartridge, the carbon dioxide is converted into energy—enough to power a cellphone or portable music player. It’s a useful—if funny-looking—contraption, we’ll have to admit. In any case, we hope we’ll never have cause to wear one.