When A Smart Mirror Makes ‘Sense’

Muchaneta Kapfunde | @FashNerdEditor

With all the smart wearables and clothes covering the column inches, we have decided to explore another fashion tech must have. It is not something that you can wear, but it is something that will show you if your wearable goes well with your outfit. So what is it? It is Sense of course.

When A Smart Mirror Makes 'Sense'

Sense is a Smart Mirror equipped with computerized cameras that help you not only look better but shop smarter. It is an updated version of the existing Smartie mirror first introduced on Kickstarter by Arash Ahmadi, the founder of Advanced Interactive Personal Technology.

Before we explore the wonders of Sense, we must take a moment to mention Rebecca Minkoff. The accessories and apparel designer famously equipped her stores with smart mirrors. It all began in early 2014 when  Minkoff and her brother Uri Minkoff began collaborating with eBay’s retail innovation group to build a new kind of in-store experience. In 2015 their tech dream was realised, their shoppers now had access to dressing rooms with interactive touch-screen mirrors that would let them request different sizes and send info about their session to their smartphone.

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So what makes Sense different from Minkoff’s store mirrors, well Ahmadi’s mirror has been created for the home. What this will hopefully mean is that in the not too distant future we will be able to own our very own smart mirror- how exciting! So what gives the Sense mirror the ‘wow’ factor? In my opinion it is it’s ability to act as a “virtual assistant”, suggesting clothing, makeup and accessories based on weather conditions, destination and previously observed dressing habits. The mobile-enabled mirror can also suggest clothing based on what is available in your closet and it can also give you the ability to view your existing clothing and accessories whilst out shopping!

The technology that makes Sense smart is an artificial intelligence. It enables various features like, the ability to track what the user has worn previously, possible. What makes Sense different from the previous Smartie Mirror is that Sense recognises the users clothes with cameras whilst the Smartie Mirror is only able to identify clothes with a RFID tag sensor. Other improvement features include facial recognition,  the ability to offer a “Virtual Makeover”, an existing second camera to give the user a rear view of their outfit and then there is the perk that will make the millennial generation happy,  the user can take “selfies” with the Sense mirror.

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With Toshiba having previously debuted their Smart Mirror at CES in 2014 and then in early 2015 Oral-B introduced a smart mirror that shows you the latest news and social updates whilst you brush your teeth, it seems that Sense will not be the only Smart Mirror being introduced to the market.

That being said I am sure that, like the wearable smart watch market, there is room for all brands to showcase their device to the different tech cliques. With no price yet released, Sense will debut at Infocomm-Gitex MEA Dubai on the 19- 22nd October 2015. If you can’t wait until then you can Pre-Order online but do note that the delivery date will be 15 February 2016! So who wants a mirror that is unafraid to let you know that “those shoes don’t match your purse”?  Well I know that my inner Cher Horowitz is screaming an OMG “I do”. 

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SOURCEImage Credit: Advanced Interactive Personal Technology