A bathroom mirror that gives people both a front and rear view of themselves has been developed using real-time imaging.
The mirror was made by two Belgian design companies, Deknudt Mirrors and Group De Keyzer, in collaboration with research and innovation centre Imec.
The innovative mirror solution provides both a front and rear view to the viewer using real-time imaging. (Credit: IMEC)
The mirror is part of a bathroom cabinet with two pivoting panels, each with a mirror on the inside. In the left panel, a camera is integrated that streams images in real-time and high-resolution to a tablet-sized display incorporated in the right panel. Functional LED lighting illuminates the users’ head, neck and back for the rear view.
Deknudt Mirrors and Group De Keyzer turned to Imec in order to overcome a series of challenges in the mirror’s fabrication. Firstly, Imec helped integrate live camera images into the design, which had to operate in high-resolution under varying light conditions. In addition, the mirror's electronics has to withstand a humid environment, and the complex system must be packaged in a cost-efficient way to be delivered to the consumer market.
‘We’re pleased that Deknudt Mirrors and Group De Keyzer turned to Imec to take their ingenious concept and turn it into a clever product,’ stated Rudi Cartuyvels, Imec’s executive vice president for smart electronics. ‘Our expertise in new integration technologies combined with their passion to solve customer problems and answer consumer needs has resulted in a cutting-edge product. Our scientists, researchers, and engineers thrive on the excitement of working on innovative and breakthrough concepts such as this mirror that allow us to assist companies from a variety of markets in the entire innovation process from idea to fabrication.’
