Mirror Ritual is an interactive installation developed at Monash University in 2020 by Nina Rajcic and Jon McCormack. It combines AI and machine learning to read your facial expression and generate a poem in real time. The mirror hides a screen behind two-way glass so when you look into it, the reflection stays, and a poem appears over it based on the emotion the system interprets. It is not designed to diagnose any mental state, but to offer a ritual of reflection. The machine perceives, you interpret, and together, you create an emotional mirror.
When someone stands before it, the mirror classifies their emotional state into categories like happiness, sadness, surprise, anger, disgust or fear. Then a neural network turns that classification into poetry that is displayed on the mirror’s surface. The poem is meant to help people notice stillness, to reflect on inner life, and to consider feelings that often go unspoken.
Why Is It Cool?
- Reflection as Ritual
This mirror turns the act of looking into something deeper than vanity. It makes seeing yourself an emotional ritual, one that invites you to slow down and feel.
- Authentic Filter
In a world saturated with visual filters, this mirror offers a different kind: one that filters your inner state, not just your image. It feels honest, fragile, and meaningful.
- Story & Share Potential
Because every poem is unique, the mirror creates moments you’ll want to share. For Millennials and Gen Z, who are looking for authenticity and emotional connection, this is a bridge between inner life and the social world.
- Wellbeing in Unexpected Spaces
The mirror ritual could be placed in hotel lobbies, spas, or retreat centers to allow guests to pause, check in emotionally, and leave feeling seen, not just pampered.
Why Does It Have Future Growth Potential?
- Space for Emotional Design
Hospitality is shifting. Comfort and luxury are no longer enough. Guests want spaces that touch emotions. Mirror Ritual proposes a new kind of amenity; one that attends to inner wellbeing directly.
- Scalable Experience
The installation is portable enough to be integrated in different environments. Hotels can install versions of this as emotional check-in mirrors, spas can use them before treatments, airports or lounges could offer moments of poetic pause.
- Fit with Wellness and Mindfulness Trends
Gut health, meditation, unplugging; these are familiar tropes in wellness. Mirror Ritual speaks to the same trend line, but goes inside emotion rather than only the body.
- Purpose and Authenticity Matter More Than Ever
Especially for younger travelers, knowing a brand cares about emotional life, not just aesthetic or comfort, builds loyalty and trust. Mirror Ritual aligns with that purpose-driven demand.
- Ethics, Reflection, and Technology in Dialogue
Projects like Mirror Ritual also provoke conversation about how we use AI and what it means to have machines interpret our inner world. That kind of reflection adds credibility and depth to hospitality spaces that implement it.
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