Los Angeles-based creative studio Production Club has conceived the Micrashell, a personal protective equipment for clubbing in the time of coronavirus, which includes features for phone integration and beverage and vape consumption.
With other brilliant minds working on more pressing medical protective measures, Production Club leveraged the studio’s expertise in event production, live show design and visual arts to identify ways to preserve the essential need for real in-person connection—one that cannot be substituted with video chat services and virtual raves.
The Micrashell is a virus-shielded, easy to control, fun to wear, disinfectable, fast to deploy suit that allows socializing without distancing. Offering relief for industries dependent on social interaction in close proximity, the suit is intended to be a pragmatic yet design-forward solution for this pandemic and others to come.
“Production Club was born in the rave counter-culture so DJing and safe partying is in our blood. If a roadblock that prevents this very thing suddenly arises is our responsibility as leaders and designers to come up with solutions for it,” says Production Club’s Head of Inventions Mike808 (Miguel Risueño). “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. The team behind the design comes from a very multidisciplinary background, from robotics, to fashion to vfx. We worked in 12h shifts between Spain and LA until the design was done. That’s how Micrashell was born.”
“While the future of the live music and events industry is precarious, Production Club is actively working on solutions for ourselves and clients that will allow us to safely gather together,” says Production Club’s Head of Special Projects Corey Johnson. “We believe events are essential to the human experience and create the memories that define our lives. 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.”
The Micrashell suit features unique functionalities, such as in-suit beverage and vape system, mounted-in speakers, smartphone integration, computer vision safety camera and privacy-driven voice municator. 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).
The suit is secured to the body with expandable straps, making it suitable for people of different sizes. These straps can be customized with add-ons such as patches, velcro, magnets and hooks. Rows of RGBW lights can also be customized 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.