At a Hong Kong technology event Samsung unveiled ‘the industry’s first’ Mirror and Transparent OLED display panels. The mirror display can display things like time, temperature, weather information or even FaceBook notifications. Essentially it can operate like a computer monitor/TV set/mirror all at the same time.
The transparent display panel can also display computer information and since both devices are equipped with Intel’s Real Sense technology, which uses 3D cameras to track the viewer, they can display clothes, jewelry and other items virtually superimposed on the displays.
Originally designed for sales purposes in department stores the concept for the mirror was that it would be used in dressing rooms where shoppers could ‘try on’ virtual outfits or jewelry but the technology could eventually find its way into consumer’s homes.
When I first saw a mirror display flat panel years ago I thought these things could be used to create the ultimate bathroom mirror.
Beyond the ‘virtual’ images, imagine multiple ‘lipstick’ cameras mounted on flexible goose-neck armatures that you could bend and point in any direction. Or multiple cameras mounted around the bathroom that could show images of the back of your head or full-length images. Imagine one of these small cameras on a cord (or better yet wireless) that you could point anywhere (inside your ears, the back of your neck, close ups of your bikini line, or wherever) and have the image displayed on the mirror. You could zoom the image so that your eye fills the entire display (handy for applying mascara or putting in contact lenses).
You could also view yourself as people actually see you rather than flipped horizontally as regular mirrors show. The mirror could also simulate just about any kind of lighting environment.
It would be the ultimate bathroom mirror for trying on clothing and applying makeup and I can easily imagine that every actor in Hollywood would be more than happy to pay many thousands of dollars for a mirror like that.
