Week 3- System Unit and Computer Forensics

The topic of the week was hardware. As a technology based entrepreneurial idea, it is necessary that my product have all the necessary hardware to keep the system running fast and efficiently. Let’s face it, no one will use the product if it takes to long to use and that is a terrible marketing idea. With that in mind, it would be absolutely vital for proper configuration of my computer based technology.

The mirror would have to coordinate several processes such as scanning the items brought into the room, taking a picture of the customer, portraying the simulation of the customer with the clothes on, and then allowing the customer to share that image on social media websites. With so many advanced processes being used it would be important to have a high quality processor that could work quickly to execute the demands of the customer.

Yet again we talked about cyber security in class, however, this time we focused on the fact that data exists on a hard disk until that disk is physically destroyed. In addition to the need for the Smart Mirror to function efficiently, the mirror would also need to take into account the customers need to protect their identity. There would need to be security measures taken to ensure that no one could access the pictures taken by the mirror after that customer has left. It would also be important that malicious users who could potentially recover the personal data using computer forensics programs widely available on the market do not exploit data that was deleted by the customer but still remains on the hard disk.

Week 2- Privacy in Social Media

Though our lecture this week was on privacy on social media sites like Facebook, the issue of privacy should also be addressed in my project as well because of the interaction with Facebook and Twitter built into the product.  As I mentioned before in my previous post, the Smart Mirror would utilize social media sites to allow customers using the product to save a picture of their projected image in the clothes that they “tried on” via the Smart Mirror and post it to their profile on their favorite social media site.

This mirror would be yet another way that the world is becoming less and less private by introducing social media into yet another aspect of our lives.  By introducing social media into our shopping experiences it would be shrinking the world without social media yet again. This could possibly be initially interpreted poorly with skeptics criticizing the product for its intrusiveness into the lives of shoppers. Nevertheless, I feel that people of my generation would fully appreciate the aspect that allows the customer to share their experience with others. As with other new technologies that were previously reviewed poorly, I feel that this would eventually be accepted by most and become something that people truly appreciate in their day-to-day lives.

The Smart Mirror would be using social media to get customers to interact more with the product and as such there would need to be certain privacy settings in place to ensure that no one is putting images of themselves on Twitter and Facebook that they would not like others to see.  There would need to be necessary measures taken to guarantee that no ones privacy would be at risk because of the product as well. Accordingly, there would also need to be some sort of disclosure to customers using the social media aspect of the mirror warning them to protect their privacy as much as possible. 

Week 1- Project Idea

When tasked with finding an entrepreneurial idea I admit I was a little lost so I decided to explore a topic I know, fashion.  Recently I read a very interesting article about a new “Smart Mirror” designed at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Institute of Textiles and Clothing. This mirror is meant to be installed in dressing rooms of clothing stores where the mirror will recognize items brought into rooms and make suggestions to buyers acting as an inanimate shopping consultant. My idea stems from the idea of the Smart Mirror.  Knowing how inconvenient it is to try on several different things only to take them off again, isn’t it about time that we could stand in front of a mirror and see the image of what we want to try on projected in front of us without ever having to put it on?  In addition, the mirror should allow you to save a picture of the outfit which you can then message to a friend, share with your followers on Twitter, or post as a mobile upload to your Facebook profile. The world of shopping is in dire need of a new, smarter mirror.

The evolution of computers has made it possible for so much more than anyone imagined the descendants of the Mark I would be able to do.  Moore’s Law tells us that the power of computing will double every 24 months and this trend shows no sign of stopping. No longer are computers 5 tons. The portability of computers has enabled developers to reach to computerize just about anything from touch screen cell phones to review mirrors in which you can check the weather and read your email.   Because of this, I feel that it is not out of reach to develop a product such as the one I have proposed.

Just as the power of computers has increased tremendously in the years since their inception, the power and influence of social media is constantly growing.  Installing a social media feature in the Smart Mirror would make the product more engaging for the mass amounts of social media enthusiasts who would be using the product. In addition, using social media would be a fantastic way to advertise the new product and give clothing companies reason to invest in the product.