Magic Mirror (FULL »)

A Magic Mirror works on a simple principle. You place a monitor behind a two-way mirror. The monitor displays bright white text on a black background. The mirror reflects your image, but the light from the monitor passes through the glass, making the text appear to float on the mirror's surface.

The industry-standard software is MagicMirror², created by Michael Teeuw. It is open-source and runs on Linux. magic mirror

What comes next? The endgame of the magic mirror is likely the "looking-glass world" of augmented reality. As smart glasses (like the Apple Vision Pro or Meta’s Ray-Bans) become mainstream, the "mirror" will stop being a fixed object on the wall. It will be everywhere. A Magic Mirror works on a simple principle

Your entire field of vision could become a smart mirror, overlaying information onto the real world: identifying strangers, translating signs, or subtly adjusting how you see your own reflection in a store window. At that point, the line between reality and the mirror's "magic" will blur entirely. The mirror reflects your image, but the light

Why is this technology so compelling? Why do we want a screen in our reflection?