Fitting room mirrors have long been the bane of shoppers’ existence with their low lights and tight spaces. The entire concept of “trying on” a slew of clothing options in a cramped closet can be both overwhelming and frustrating to say the least. Take heed! Neiman Marcus recently unveiled a prototype “MemoryMirror” in one of its California locations.
The MemoryMirror is actually not a mirror at all, but rather a 70-inch screen with a camera on top that can film the customer standing in front of it. The technology is produced by MemoMi Labs, and the company touts the device as a “high-end digital mirror for a new-generation shopping experience.”
Using the MemoryMirror, customers can see how a current outfit compares to one that he or she tried on before. The customer controls the mirror app with an iPad, telling it when to start recording or take photos. The MemoryMirror is equipped to offer customers a 360-degree view of the outfits they are trying on, so they will know how it looks from every angle. Several looks can be compared side-by-side, and the mirror stores as many clips as the customer requests. The technology also offers customers the option to share videos or photos on social media or to e-mail them to friends and family for input.
MemoMi founder Salvador Nissi Vilcovsky has indicated in recent interviews that perspective distortion correction is the technology behind what makes the MemoryMirror work. Using this distortion technique, the screen automatically sizes the mirror to fit the customer. So no matter if a customer is standing three feet in front of it or 10 feet away, perspective distortion correction proportions the mirror so the customer fills the shot.
Neiman Marcus has long been considered one of the most forward-thinking retailers in the U.S. Last year, the high-end retail chain updated its smartphone app to allow users to photograph an item that they like, upload it to the app, and then receive a response from Neiman Marcus with photos and details of similar items. As for the MemoryMirror technology, Neiman Marcus isn’t finished fine-tuning it. At this time, the customer uses a tablet to control the technology, but the retailer has indicated that gesture recognition technology may be applied in later iterations.
The MemoryMirrors are equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, which allows the customers to set up their own accounts, securely store videos and access their personal data from a mobile device.
While the MemoryMirror is only presently installed in one of the retailer’s California stores, Neiman Marcus announced that there are plans to install two install additional MemoryMirrors in its San Francisco store within the next month before moving on to install two more in Dallas. Depending on customer response, the retailer may add more in other locations in the future, but for now, the store is utilizing the data they are collecting on the customers in the test locations to analyze consumer behavior.
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