Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
Mirror, mirror on the wall, what shall I wear today?
Now, everyone will be able to seek counsel from a blended reality mirror!
What is blended reality? In this scenario, blended reality combines the images reflected by the mirror with images transmitted through the mirror, functioning as a display. Thus, users might see themselves in a setting (e.g.; at the beach or in a restaurant) other than their current location. Alternatively, users might see themselves wearing clothes other than the ones actually worn.
The challenge of combining both reflected and transmitted images, so that users can view them in a blended reality experience, is the problematic situation addressed in the patent US9858719, titled Blended reality systems and methods, assigned to Amazon Technologies Inc. In particular, this invention seeks to resolve such issues as the superimposition of reflected images on a transmitting display, which often results in what is termed “ghosting”. Conversely, the invention also resolves the impossibility of reflecting transmitted images. Thus, the patent recites the systems and methods designed to blend both reflected and transmitted realities, so that both are accessible to users in an augmented reality (AR) experience.
Succinctly, the mirror/display device controls all the undesirable effects of superpositioned images, by controlling the amount of light transmitted and reflected, according to proprietary algorithms, that include the recognition and extraction of scanned (camera) data. For example, the mirror/display device can selectively: darken the image of the room (preventing reflection), illuminate the user (to promote reflection), and/or project images onto the darkened areas where the user would have seen a reflection of the room and its objects.
The abstract of this invention is included below, together with a blended reality illustration, extracted from the patent. The illustration shows how the reflection of the room has been obliterated to allow for the display of a beach scene, and conversely how the user has been identified in the flow of scanned images (as an outline in the darkened room captured data) which is then illuminated so that it can be reflected in the transmitted scene, as the user.
Systems and methods are provided for generating a blended reality view to a user, the blended reality view combining images reflected by a mirror with images transmitted from a screen behind the mirror. Systems for generating blended reality views can include a display device with a screen positioned behind a mirror. The display device can generate a pattern of illumination and non-illumination on the screen so that the illuminated portions of the screen substantially transmitted through the mirror. Projectors can be used to illuminate objects in front of the mirror so that the illuminated objects are reflected by the mirror. In combination, the portions of the screen transmitted through the mirror and the illuminated objects reflected by the mirror can provide a blended reality view to a user viewing the mirror. [Abstract US9858719]
The bottom line is that when you stand in front of a blended reality mirror, you will no longer see a mirror image! The youtube video included below provides a glimpse of the blended mirror reality in the dressing room.
Happy Father’s day to everyone!
Happy Father’s day to everyone!
Reference
CNN - Amazon smart mirror patent
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