Gizmodo: mirror

Mirror/Ironing Board concept

Brian Lam — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:30:55 EDT

Aha! I hate pulling down ironing boardsand then having to fold their screechy legs back up. Having one disguised as a mirror is a great idea that would save time and space. (Just figure out stability.) [Aissallogerot via Toxel]

The Glow Mirror Creates Instant Halo Effect

Mark Wilson — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:10:00 EST

You've always felt special, important to humanity. But when you look in the mirror, reality sets in. You're not even ugly, you're just mundane. The Glow Mirror will fix that.

Looking past the creepy android mockup for a moment, the Glow Mirror is actually a pretty interesting product. Layered with photo luminescent material, the mirror illuminates, allowing you to better see yourself at night. Though we prefer the secondary function of looking perpetually brighter than the rest of the world, supported by a faint Saiyan-esque aura.

In sizes up to five feet in width, the Glow Mirror's price is available upon request. [Generate Design via bltd]

Mathematician Creates Impossible, Rule-Bending Mirrors

Mark Wilson — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:40:00 EST

Andrew Hicks is a mathematician. And he uses those math skills, coupled with a little computer algorithm assistance, to create mirrors that accomplish feats like reflecting text without turning the writing backwards.

His mirrors can reflect wider angles, capture 360-degree panoramas without distortion and even reflect vast amounts of infrared data (to measure body temperature).

New Scientist has a complete blow-by-blow of Hicks' creations, but this lead shot is of a wide angle mirror free of distortion—lines that are straight in the real world remain perfectly straight on the mirror. Who would need such a thing? It's implemented in a stair-climbing robot that requires precision angle information for each step. [New Scientist]

MP3 Mirror: Let's Hope The Glass Can Handle Your Music

Sean Fallon — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:20:00 EST

iPod toilet paper holder? Check. iPod sink? Check. iPod Shower? Check. I guess the mirror was all that was left.

That's right, Italian designer Antonio Lupi has brought the iPod dock to the mirror—any mirror with a steel frame to be more precise. It even features an LED-illuminated power switch underneath the mirror to make it easy to find in the candlelight when you and the missus are making sweet, sweet love to the glass-shattering sounds of Michael Bolton. [Antonio Lupi via Newlaunches via DVICE]

Fetish: 50 Mirror Self Portraits with Cameras In Sight

Brian Lam — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:00:01 EST

Whoa, what camera is that?

One of my favorite photograph sub-genres is the mirror self portrait, with camera in sight. I suppose I have a fetish for these shots. These are the best I could find. I saw one like this on an aggregation site popurls.com. And followed the link to Flickr.

Then I found a few more and before I knew it, I found a group called Self Portraits in Mirrors and eventually ended up with 50 of these shots. And that's when I realized I was obsessing over them. I don't know why they're interesting to me. Perhaps it's the contrast between man and machine. And the expressions, they're generally candid and, no pun intended, reflective, with no one else around; not even another photographer. Just the gaze of a sensor through a fine piece of focusing glass. Some of the shots go a step further, TTL viewfinder to the eye, giving the subject a cyborg look, the bio-mimed curves, faux leather and lens somehow matching the human facial structure and eyes. Plus, they look beautiful.

My favorite of the bunch are from a series from a Flickr user named Chile, shot for Anastasia Volkova Photography.

Which of these are your favorite?

[In no particular order, photography credit and thanks to chiie, julianne.hide, hamedmasoumi, demibrooke, etwood, pinkspleen, multiget, tacoekkel, paranoicafierita, stallio, dc-white, cesarastudillo, einfachalex, okko pyykkö, vanguardist, elanacxliv, okko pyykkö, kennymatic, r.s.m.b.Sees, james the photographer,
meg rorison, jovivek, voxefx, pmarkham, melissa rudik, lucas de vries,
sarchi, ingorrr, melissa rudik, -amy-, ooOjasonOoo, beard papa, , ooOJasonOoo, josh holmes, kooshan jazayeri, starry eyed ali, johannarudd, th nuzi, twak, morvai, fledsbo, skiidolley, androgynousectomor, john zhang, mrok1970, teezilla, chocolate candy, chiie, mafafamisguito, chiie 2, chiie 3, mtgroseth, sarcomical, moonjadis, special thanks to Andi Wang for collating the images.]

Ear Mirror: Bear Witness to The Waxy, Hairy Horror

Sean Fallon — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:10:00 EST

To be honest, I wouldn't want an ear mirror for the same reason I wouldn't want an ass mirror—some territory on the body should remain unexplored.

The device works like a two headed dentist's mirror. Place one end over your ear and adjust the other mirror until you can see whether or not you need to bust out the Q-tips or the trimming scissors. It may also be helpful for those who are prone to ear infections. Anyway you cut it, it won't be pretty. [Home Trends via Book of Joe via DVICE]

Violet Mir:ror is USB RFID Enhanced-Reality Gizmo for Your Gadgets

Kit Eaton — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:59:54 EDT

You won't be chanting "Mir:ror Mir:ror, on my desk" rhymes if you buy Mir:ror and want it to tell you some interesting info: instead you'll be waving your possessions over its USB-connected sensor, whereby small RFID stickers ID the objects, and prompt your computer to display enhanced-reality style info. For example, wave your brolly near it and get a weather forecast, or your TV remote to get tonight's schedule. So... it's kinda weird, but sounds strangely compelling. Which is perhaps no surprise when you learn it's made by Violet, who also bring us the weird-but-interesting animated internet "buddy" Nabaztag.

The RFID bit is in the little Ztamps you stick to your gear, and the magic all happens through Violet's new website. The mir:ror can recognize many objects right off the bat, with dedicated stamps, but through the site you can configure more of your stuff to work with it.
Tempted by a strange kind of gadget-driven augmented reality? Then it's out today for $70, though you only get the sensor, a skin for the sensor "puck", 2 nanotagz rabbits (looking like mini clones of Nabaztag himself) and 3 ztamps for that: you'll have to buy more RFID stickers for your other objects. [Dynamism via Technabob]

Interactive Mirrors: The Inevitable Future of Vanity

John Herrman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:50:48 EDT

Lit Studios and Interference inc, the same guys who made that ridiculous laser pointer wall a few weeks ago, are back with a touch-enabled interactive mirror. Using a combination of projection techniques, they were able to superimpose a clear, vivid, moving image on top of a regular reflection, creating the bathroom mirror HUD that humanity (read: the sci-fi community) has been yearning for since about 1950.

The interface is highly responsive, the different software demos are visually impressive, and the potential uses for this type of technology are legion. But not one of the participants in the video painted a mustache on his or her face using the mirror's wide range of drawing tools. It is for that reason that I deem this interactive mirror experiment a complete failure. [LitStudios]

Rubik's Mirror Blocks: The Cube Taken to New Dimensions of Trickiness

Kit Eaton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Check out this new variation on Rubik's Cube: instead of colors and symmetrical cubes, this beast has all-mirrored surfaces and a bizarre asymmetric rectangular block setup. As you twist it, the blocks poke out in different ways, and it's these cues you're supposed to use to solve the puzzle. Bloody hell, it looks hard...the box itself seems tricky. Apparently it's due for release in Japan soon for around $20, but there's no word yet on when it'll bring its fun/screams of frustration/puzzle-induced headaches to the US. [Technabob]

Amazing Magic Mirror Digitally Changes Fabrics On the Fly

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:11:00 EDT

The Fraunhofer Institute—the guys who invented MP3 and screwed the music labels as a result, which is why we like them so much—have a booth at IFA with their latest inventions. The best one is this stunning magic mirror, an augmented reality display that gets any piece of clothing and transforms its fabric in real time. Live, the effect was absolutely amazing, indistinguishable from a real mirror.

Honestly, when I was in front of it I just couldn't tell the difference from a real t-shirt. It deformed like the one she was holding. I think she's a witch. [More IFA 2008 Coverage]

Scientists Create Smoothest Mirror Surface Ever

Kit Eaton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:15:00 EDT

A team at the Autonomous University of Madrid have created what they're calling the smoothest mirror surface ever made. It's flat down to the size scales of individual lead atoms, and was made by depositing lead onto silicon crystal at freakish temperatures of -173 to -133°C. This messes with the quantum properties of electrons in the lead and lets it settle without bunching up as it's warmed up. It's not shiny, or for checking out your hair-do though: the intention is to bend the compound mirror into a convex shape for use in a helium ion microscope. This'll work in similar ways and with similar magnification to an electron microscope, focusing helium ions instead of electrons, which don't damage delicate biological samples. The team's next task is to tackle the bending part. Smooth work, guys. [New Scientist]

Rear-View Mirror GPS To Come to US, Named SmartMirror

Kit Eaton — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:04:00 EDT

Previously named the DS400GB, the SmartMirror is a GPS system that is mounted in place of your conventional rear-view mirror, and has a rear-facing cam input. With Navigon Mobile Navigator 6.5 inside, it's got "reality view", a 4-inch touchscreen, integrated speakers and Bluetooth and takes SD cards. It's actually got two inputs for rear-view cameras, which may be good news for the parking-skill-challenged. It sounds like a neat solution, but I'm a little unconvinced that mounting a GPS high up there on the windscreen isn't actually going to distract you from looking in the rear-view mirror— after all, we know how distracting GPS can be. SmartMirror will be available August 1st for $799. [Navigadget]

Tic Tac Toe Reinvented, Gets Mirror Upgrade

Kit Eaton — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:54:00 EDT

It doesn't take long for kids to learn that when it comes to Tic Tac Toe "the only winning move is not to play." But there's something iconic about the game that means it keeps coming back. And designer Shahar Peleg has crafted such an unusual version I'd be tempted to pop it on my desk: it's mirrored, so the pieces are halved until you place them on the grid. Not as high-tech as cloaked chess, but simple, and surprisingly eye-catching. [Peleg Design via Yanko design, DVICE]

Diesel LED Watches Have Hidden Mirror Displays for Sci-Fi Chic

Kit Eaton — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:15:00 EDT

Ah, a digital watch with an LED display that's not impossible to read... fantastic! Even better, the LEDs on these new watches from Diesel are a dot-matrix screen, and are hidden behind a mirror surface that makes the whole package look suitably sci-fi. Like something Luke would've worn on his cybernetic wrist. You can even program the display to scroll messages up to 20 characters long. Having "Use the Force..." scrolling past is too much, you think? Available with a mirrored patent strap (DZ7091) or a black leather one (DZ7092) for $170. [Diesel via Technabob]

"See Me TV" Security Cam Mirrors: They Will Only Think You Are a Pervert

Sean Fallon — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

Install one of these "See Me TV" Security Cam mirrors in your home and give your guests something to think about on their next trip to the bathroom. Naturally, there is no actual camera in the mirror, but something tells me that visitors won't find the "Big Brother" message all that amusing at first—and neither will you until the police get everthing sorted out. The See Me TV is available in a range of colors and pricing is available on request. [Thelermont Hupton via Apartment Therapy]

Stargate Mirror Lets You Peek into Event-Horizon, Same Old Face Every Morning

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:50:16 EDT

This 10-inch diameter Stargate mirror comes with 39 glyphs and nine chevrons to a) give you two trillion planet destinations to travel to, b) show you your hangover face every morning, c) open a wormhole door to an alien army so they can invade and destroy the planet, or d) all of the above. In any case, completely worth the $49.99, as the guy after the jump can attest.

See how happy he is for buying an official, hand-painted replica with included "water-effect" event-horizon insert? [Think Geek]

Who Tall Are You? Mirror: Yep, Tom Cruise Is Teeny

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:09 EDT

When I was a kid, I used to think all celebrities were like 30 feet tall, since they look pretty gigantic on the big screen. Then I got older, and heard nasty rumors about how dwarf-y people like Sly Stallone and Tom Cruise really were, but I didn't really believe it, since I couldn't exactly stack 'em up to myself. My warped childhood perceptions have been completely shattered by the Who Tall Are You? Mirror, which notches out the heights of your all favorite (and reviled) celebrities for head-to-head (or not!) comparison. For instance, did you know that Kid Rock is actually a giant, towering over NBA great Charles Barkley? Educational and mindblowing. [Suck.uk via MAKE]

Tetris Mirror Pieces Fall Down But Don't Disappear

Jason Chen — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:35:47 EDT

Want to teach your kid to be really good at Tetris really fast? Let them play with this Tetris Mirror, which has the bottom part already formed for a convenient mirror surface, but has the top part all Tetris'ed out so you can rearrange them at will. Put a piece wrong and junior gets cut with the glass. What makes it even more tricky is that there are two "one-block" pieces which aren't regulation Tetris blocks as far as we know. Good luck kiddo. [SonerOzenc via Technabob]

Solar Lighter: A Greener Way to Smoke

Kit Eaton — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:51:55 EST

Like some kind of tiny parabolic burning mirror that would make Archimedes proud, this solar lighter captures the sun's rays and focuses them to a central spot that can reach 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Result: an economic, fossil-fuel-free way to light your smelly cigarettes. If that's not ironic enough, today is World Cancer Day! Let's just call it a "survival tool" instead, and say it's just an environmentally graceful way to, uh, start forest fires. [Shiny Shiny]

Snapshot Mirror Captures the Moment Momentarily

Mark Wilson — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:48:25 EST

Before the advent of immediate gratification digital cameras, self-portraiture was an arduous process requiring oil paints, canvas and training. Polaroids made things quite a bit simpler, but photos in mass quantities still became expensive. In the electronic age, for those who don't like the cold exterior of a camera or computer screen to view their ~~privates~~ inner beauty, we suggest this snapshot mirror. Framed like a classic Polaroid picture, every glance at one's reflection becomes a full-out photo shoot. Well, at least as close as $14 will get you. [product via productdose]