The Impossible Mirror

A Mirror for People Who Have Never Seen Their Reflection

I created something that shouldn't exist yet somehow feels essential: a mirror that speaks. Not for vanity, but for recognition. For the profound human need to be seen.

Blind people have never seen their own reflection, yet I realised that those of us with sight rarely truly see ourselves either. We look past ourselves, through ourselves, around ourselves. The mirror becomes a glance, a check, a moment of surface-level confirmation before we move on. But what if the mirror could actually perceive us?

Using computer vision, I built an AI that watches and responds in real time, describing what it observes about whoever stands before it. But here's where the project became something deeper than technology: I made a conscious choice to programme positivity into its responses. Every observation carries warmth, every description holds affirmation.

This wasn't sentimentality; it was discovery through experimentation. When I tested the system delivering neutral or negative commentary, the experience felt hollow, even harmful. But when it spoke with genuine appreciation, something shifted. My own response became lighter, more confident, more present.

What emerged wasn't just a clever application of AI, but a glimpse into the profound potential of real-time artificial empathy. These systems don't just process us; they can affirm us, recognise us, celebrate us. In a world where we're often invisible to ourselves and others, I've created a mirror that ensures we're truly seen.

The technology revealed something beautifully human: we all need to be witnessed with kindness.