Chameleon welding helmet

Chameleon mask

— a variety of welding helmets (see the relevant item) equipped with auto-darkening filters. In the intervals between welding starts, such a light filter is almost transparent, and when the arc starts, it darkens almost instantly, providing adequate protection for the eyes. This eliminates the main disadvantage of conventional masks — the need to periodically raise and lower the light filter: the chameleon mask can be constantly kept in the working position (on the face) without sacrificing comfort. In addition, before the moment of ignition of the arc, the welder sees the work area and the welding electrode as clearly as possible, without darkening, which reduces the likelihood of errors in work.

The main disadvantages of "chameleons" are the complexity of the design, the relatively high cost and the need for power. However, the first two points are offset by the mentioned ease of use, the cost of the electronic “hardware” is constantly decreasing as technology develops, and power in most models is provided by solar panels, which eliminates the problems of finding energy sources for charging built-in batteries.