Zhang Yang

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    AN augmented-reality (AR) mirror that allows users to try on virtual clothes made its debut at the 18th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) on Friday.

    The AR mirror, or an AR clothing try-on machine, was developed by FORTH-ICS, a computer science research institute in Greece.

    Emmanouil Zidianakis, a researcher of the institute’s human-computer interaction lab, said the mirror provides motion-based interaction for users, which enables them to switch the outfits by making a gesture in front of the mirror.

    He said four stores in Greece have installed the mirror as an approach to solicit customers.

    “This approach seems to be very promising. Customers are attracted by the mirror,” he said. “They come closer to see what’s happening and they start immediately trying the outfits. And likely, they enter the store to continue shopping.”

    By scanning the QR-Code on the mirror, customers can gain access to their online personal pages through their mobile devices to check all the outfits they’ve tried on, which allows them to buy the outfits online after they leave the store, according to Zidianakis.

    He said the mirror’s system can facilitate the collection of customer feedback as customers can choose to like or dislike an outfit when they use the mirror. The mirror can stay working after the store is closed so that passers-by can use it if they want.

    After trying on different outfits, customers can also post photos of themselves wearing the virtual clothes on their social media accounts, Zidianakis said.

    According to Zidianakis, his team is looking for potential investors and buyers in China to enter the Chinese market by displaying the mirror during CHTF. But he said they haven’t set a price for the mirror and the final pricing will depend on how many orders they get in China.