My current side project is to build an interactive mirror; this post is to introduce the concept and give you an overview on how to approach building one. I’ll be blogging as I go through the process. If you’re not interested in building your own or learning the skills listed below, you can search ‘interactive mirror’ or ‘magic mirror’ and purchase one. It’s just less fun.
Building an Interactive Mirror requires experience or knowledge with the following:
- Programming – Depending on the approach you take, you’re going to need to build an app for android or program with a raspberry pi.
- Woodworking – You’ll need to cut wood and use tools to build a frame. You may be able to buy a frame and the correct size mirror, but this reduces your freedom.
What is an Interactive Mirror?
Interactive mirrors use some sort of display (tablet, tv monitor, etc.) and a reflective overlay (I’ll be using a 2-way mirror) placed on top. This allows you to see both yourself and the application. Some are interactive while others are not.
Most people I talk to are unfamiliar with them. Often, they’ve never seen one, but you may have seen them in stores or malls. For example, there are some in Ralph Lauren‘s NYC store. In these mirrors, you can adjust lighting in your fitting room, browse other products, or request a different size. These are touch-screens, akin to smartphones or tablets. Interactive mirrors are starting to become far more common.
How do you build an Interactive Mirror?
Do your research before you start building. There are many different methods of building an interactive mirror, so you will want to find one that fits with your skill level, budget, and ultimately how you want to use it.
In my research, I have seen two common approaches. Both use a 2-way mirror with a screen running behind it, but one uses a raspberry pi running on a monitor while the other uses an app running on an android tablet . These are not the only two options, but they’re definitely the best for what I am looking for: a bathroom mirror that can keep me updated on time, weather, and my schedule for the day.
Raspberry Pi
This approach has a lot more technical support. It was featured on the Raspberry Pi Blog, updates are posted on the creator’s website, and all of the code is posted on his Github where other programmers have contributed to it.
I have coding experience, but I have never worked with a raspberry pi before. For many, this could be a potential con, but it is a pro for me as I’ve always been interested in learning about them.
Android Tablet
Similar to the raspberry pi approach, there are tutorials for building an android mirror and the code is freely available on a Github page. Those who build a mirror with this method typically buy a cheap, old tablet off of Ebay.
This approach would be more familiar due to my past experience, but I find it has more limitations. While cheaper, the display would only be in a corner of the mirror and aesthetic-wise, I prefer the information throughout the mirror.
These are how you build a basic set-up. You can get ideas on how to add to your mirror on the Magic Mirror forum. Eventually, I aim to go further by incorporating gesture-drive UX or facial recognition (both are available on the forum!).
Kaitlyn Stahl's Blog 