When you’re sitting at your desk and your cell phone rings, the last thing you want to be worried about is your fellow coworkers disrupting your Conversation with noise or you doing the same to them. Obviously an office isn’t the best place to have private conversations, and the noise from everyone using the phone in their respective cubicles can still be a major distraction. Getting up from your desk, even for a few minutes to take a personal call on your phone, can also lead to counter-productivity. This year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, one company is taking a chance on changing that by introducing a cleverly-named device designed to keep your conversations private – the Hushme.

What is Hushme?

The self-proclaimed “world’s first voice mask for mobile phones,” Hushme is the brainchild of Ukranian inventors, but is based in the U.S. At first glance, the Hushme looks like a futuristic machine that Bane from the Batman comics would wear. It is bulky, it looks heavy, and doesn’t seem like something someone would want covering up the lower half of their moneymaker. It’s not sleek or stylish, but that isn’t the point of this innovative device. The Hushme is designed to give you an experience. By using noise-cancellation technology, it keeps your conversation private – even from people sitting 5 feet away from you.

If you are still feeling uneasy about other people’s inability (or lack thereof) to hear your conversation, Hushme also uses its own dedicated app to synchronize with your cell phone. The app enables you to choose masking sounds from its preloaded library, upload your customized sounds, adjust the volume and more. The ergonomic design is meant to fit snug around the consumer’s face and the padded mouth cover helps suppress your voice while you chat away. The strong plastic material that houses Hushme means it will last a long time, giving you years of use out of the device.

When is the Hushme Going to Be Available?

There has not been a release date announced for Hushme, and it all depends if the company can get enough financial backers or not. Currently, Hushme is planning a crowdfunding campaign later this year and expects the headphones to be priced at less than $200. That’s a pretty reasonable price for a device with the features and durability of Hushme.

Give (or Receive) the Gift of Silence

One thing Hushme is most likely going to play a big role in is passive-agressive gift-giving during holidays and birthdays. You’ll know exactly how your office buddies feel about you during ‘Secret Santa’ time. Although the company behind Hushme claims its main goal is to give you privacy during those private moments in public places, it may also annoy the entire office with noises of Darth Vader or monkeys. Either way, the Hushme is sure to bring entertainment to the workplace along with its main feature. What’s your opinion? Would you use a device like Hushme?