Would You Read The News While Brushing Your Teeth?

Would You Read The News While Brushing Your Teeth?

The New York Times Company’s Research and Development Lab studies novel ways to deliver news to people. Their latest creation is a bathroom mirror that uses Microsoft Kinect to detect motion and deliver a stream of news while you comb your hair or put on your makeup.

Besides news, the technology will let you send emails, shop online or add calendar entries via your mirror. And it uses the Kinect to interact with the user via motion and voice commands. It’s an interesting concept, but, really, is the bathroom the best place to use this technology?

The average person spends a total of one hour per day in the bathroom and most of that time is spent on the commode or in the shower, not in front of the mirror. The amount of time you spend brushing your teeth is just a tiny part of your day.

The bathroom is also a huge breeding ground for microorganisms, especially if you flush with the seat up. Every flush releases a plume of virus and bacteria into the air that disperse and land on your sink, walls and your newly installed interactive mirror. Kinda gross, no? [Nieman Journalism Lab]


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