You can ask smart mirrors a lot more than if you’re the fairest of them all, such as if you may be unwell. David Crookes reflects on these innovative new devices
What is a smart mirror?
Smart mirrors go beyond simply showing your reflection as you groggily peer into them in the morning. Instead, they act as large screens that deliver useful, targeted information and even an analysis of your overall health. Their makers say they will revolutionise our daily routines and prompt us to take better care of ourselves.
How do they look?
To the casual observer, they look like a normal bathroom mirror, but when they are activated – most likely when someone stands in front of the mirror – they are able to overlay graphics and text. This means you can continue to use the mirror in the usual way while viewing the other info that’s being displayed. At the same time, the mirror will be typically gaining more than your reflection: it will be using sensors to get under your skin and tell you more about yourself.
What sorcery lurks behind this magic mirror?
The way each smart mirror operates depends on the manufacturer, since there are a number of such devices either coming to the market or in the planning stages. In March, Oral-B presented a mirror at the Mobile World Congress that syncs with an electric toothbrush to tell you know how well you’ve cleaned your teeth (bit.ly/oralb378). It presents animated images and stories to encourage better dental hygiene in children and lets parents set their kids specific goals. It also has news, weather, travel and timer apps, with third-party developers encouraged to add more.
What health benefits do these mirrors have?
Possibly the most advanced is the Wize Mirror (bit.ly/wize378), which uses a combination of sensors and cameras to glean a solid picture of your health. It is still in development but promises to check for signs of fatigue, anxiety and stress.
The Wize Mirror (see main picture, above) will also use a five-camera ‘multispectral’ imaging system to study your skin and circulation, and check for signs of diabetes and circulatory problems. With a 3D scanner to monitor your face for signs of swelling or weight gain, and a breath monitor to keep an eye on alcohol consumption and smoking levels, it’s like having a virtual doctor on your bathroom wall.
Who is making it?
The Wize Mirror is being developed with European Union funding and the project is being co-ordinated by the Italian National Research Council. It is being seen as a means of making Europeans more healthy in the long-term and, by catching symptoms early, it could ease the pressure on a nation’s health services.
Could it be used for sinister purposes?
We wouldn’t be surprised if the mirrors spark a few scare stories about the Big Brother-style monitoring of our health and whether insurance companies will seek access to the data, but we’ll reserve judgment for the moment.
How will the smart mirror know who I am?
The mirror has built-in facial recognition so everyone in your family will benefit from its advice. When you use the mirror, it will give you an overall health score so you can track your progress every day.
But will a smart mirror tell me if I look good?
At least one of them will. Panasonic showcased a smart mirror at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. This looks for tell-tale signs of ageing and skin damage using high definition cameras, suggesting cosmetics and treatments to help with any conditions it spots. It also lets you see how you would look with different make-up and hair styles and it is intended for use by retailers rather than in the home.
The same goes for a mirror called Memomi that uses cameras and sensors to assess a person’s body and presents clothes to fit – all without the shopper having to go to the hassle of stripping off. Hand gestures are used to switch from one outfit to another and it allows shoppers to see their back and side views as well as the front.
Can’t I try that at home?
Maybe soon. Samsung has created a new OLED mirror display that allows people to experiment with clothes and jewellery. It uses 3D cameras and is powered by Intel’s Real Sense technology. The company is earmarking it for the high street but it says a home version that could offer Facebook notifications and style advice isn’t out of the question.
Can smart mirrors be useful in any room, though?
Sure. Toshiba has also showcased a smart mirror that it says could be used in the kitchen or living room as well as the bathroom to display recipes and other useful goodies. It is in the concept stage at the moment.
What else is out there?
You can already buy Bluetooth mirrors for the bathroom. The HiB Vibe (bit.ly/hib378), for example, lets you stream music and internet radio from a smartphone or other Bluetooth device and pumps it out using its built-in stereo speakers.
Would a smart mirror let me watch TV?
That doesn’t appear to be the aim of the current and forthcoming crop of smart mirrors, but who knows? Anyway, you don’t have to wait for that. LED mirror televisions have been around for a good while, with manufacturers such as Philips offering them with decorative surrounds. Designer Mirror TV (www.designermirrortv.co.uk) even lets you design your own with various frames to choose from.
Could I make my own smart mirror?
Actually, there is every chance you could. A chap called Michael Teeuw has designed his own smart mirror which is powered by a Raspberry Pi computer. There is a step-by-step guide to making it at bit.ly/michael378. Teeuw has even provided all of the code needed to make it work. Another techie called Nick Nothom (www.nicknothom.com) has produced a voice-activated prototype smart mirror that runs Android Wear, which cost him $500 (£322) to make.
Anything cool and very cheap out there right now?
You could always download one of the many mirror apps available for your phone or tablet. It’s not quite a smart mirror but it’s at least a handy way to check your appearance on the move. After all, that’s what mirrors are really for, right?