Medical and Retail Using Smart Mirrors That Double as Computers

By emeadows
September 27, 2012

There are now such things as “smart” mirrors — ones that rely on sensors, cameras and flat-panel displays to function beyond the expectations of the traditional, reflective mirror.
“These ‘smart’ mirrors are melding with digital components to act as health-monitoring devices that measure vital signs, in-shop equipment to try on clothes virtually and displays to keep track of news and information,” details the Wall Street Journal.
One such mirror is the Medical Mirror, first introduced in 2010. Among other functions, it uses a camera “to measure a person’s pulse rate based on slight variations in the brightness of the face as blood flows each time the heart pumps,” notes WSJ.
Advanced digital mirrors are also being used in some retail stores to provide customers with “virtual fittings” of clothing. It analyzes the body, then suggests sizes, fits and brands for a person’s body type.
But is there a market for such devices outside of medical and/or retail markets? Would consumers ever have interest enough to buy some sort of technologically advanced mirror? That answer is unclear, according to designers and manufacturers.

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