The gadget that makes it all happen is called Hushme. It bills itself as the "world's first voice mask for mobile phones." This absurd-looking contraption is designed to help you keep your conversations private when you're in a public space.

The founders were inspired to create Hushme when having lunch with friends at a small and quiet café. A girl sitting near them used earphones to make a Skype call, which made her talk louder and attract attention. She felt awkward and decided to cut off her conversation. 

This gave the founders an idea: What if she could've had that quick private call without bothering anyone nearby? They worked with ARTKB, a product development bureau, to make a prototype and presented it at CES this year.