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Inventors Try To Cheer Up Cancer Patients By Forcing Them To Smile At A Mirror
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An inventor is trying to cheer up cancer patients by forcing them to smile at a mirror in order to activate it, basing his invention on research that shows humans are happier when they smile.
The Smile Mirror is designed for patients with serious diseases, and it only shows someone’s reflection when they smile, the Guardian reported. Dubbed a “magical mirror,” it uses facial recognition through an individual camera which can tell when the person is smiling at the reflective screen.
Berk Ilhan, the designer of the Smile Mirror, claims that the idea first came to him after talking with oncologists and cancer patients who said that it is often difficult to “face up” when fighting the illness. He spent two years working on the mirror, and hopes to eventually sell it to hospitals.
“I learned morale and social support are two very important factors that can positively change a patient’s experience,” Ilhan told CNN Tech.
Smiling, even if it is forced, can reduce a person’s stress and positively affect their mood, which could potentially be beneficial to people struggling with serious illnesses, according to research by Science Daily.
The Smile Mirror is expected to retail for somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.
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