“Imagine that the mirror’s surface is made of many smaller mirrors turned to different angles, like a disco ball,” Hicks said. “The algorithm is a set of calculations to manipulate the direction of each face of the metaphorical disco ball so that each ray of light bouncing off the mirror shows the driver a wide, but not-too-distorted, picture of the scene behind him.”
The mirror still looks like a normal mirror, you don’t see a lot of little mirrors, the math handles the light, the blind spot goes away and is particularly well suited as a driver’s side mirror, everybody is happy. Well, almost everybody:
In the United States, regulations dictate that cars coming off of the assembly line must have a flat mirror on the driver’s side. Curved mirrors are allowed for cars’ passenger-side mirrors only if they include the phrase “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.”
So it seems like this will have to be an aftermarket option.
It looks like it works, judging from the image at the top of this article, though the distance of objects seen in the reflection still appear farther than they actually are, which would have to be the case if you’re going to fit a wider field into the same space. I guess there are some things math can’t solve. Pretty interesting, though.
Link: Phys.org
sfan says
Always, always, always shoulder check before a lane change. Always.
FREEMAN says
This seems relevant.
Jerry says
This is breakthrough technology. I have owned enough cars and bikes where the blind spots were so bad I thought of installing a camera. Can’t wait until I can place one of these devices on my mirror. Just purchased a new car and the blind spot is as bad as my previous vehicle which I thought had the worst blind spots on any car I had ever owned. This should be taken to the insurance insitiute; they have the funds to get this past NTSB. Great invention!
sfan says
99.9% of people do not have their rear view mirrors adjusted properly. Here is the correct method of adjusting driver & passenger side conventional mirrors so that you do not have a blind spot and you have normal sense of distance for objects in the mirror:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwzUE6PHk4U
Even with this, unless you have a death wish, I repeat, always shoulder check.
sfan says
… of course driver & passenger side mirrors refer to car mirrors : ) … & the technique is similar for adjusting motorcycle right & left rear view mirrors.
GuitarSlinger says
+1 …. x 100 . Especially on the check over your shoulder part .
Bira Muniz says
Correction:
99.9% of people do not USE their rear view mirrors.
FREEMAN says
… or check their blind spot at all.
anthrosciguy says
On a vehicle of slightly different size than my motorcycle experiences, I’ve been driving motorhomes a lot for the last 15 years. They have, typically, a large flat mirror above a curved mirror, and of course rarely is the over the shoulder glance option available (for vehicles where it is, you’re right, it should definitely be used — it’s harder for some folks though, as you get older or otherwise have neck and/or shoulder stiffness).
Anyway, my point is to back up the adjustment advice you give: with our new (used) motorhome I had a terrible time at first judging the distance, or even the existence, of vehicles in the curved section of my righthand mirror. It was more curved than the mirror on my old motorhome and at first I assumed that was the problem and I was going to have to learn to compensate for that. But with a little experimenting I found that tilting it upward a tad made all the difference; it’s fantastic now.
Unfortunately, this mirror combo requires a pretty big mirror surface overall and probably wouldn’t be the best for motorcycles (altho, maybe; I haven’t seen it done). But it gives a best of both worlds and works great for a big vehicle where you have to get your info without being able to look around.
GenWaylaid says
Maybe one of these for the curved portion?
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2011/09/28/riderscan-rear-view-mirror-takes-on-blind-spots/
JP says
Honda has some good ones on the old ST 1100 but I still can get blind sided by the occasional lurker.
I’ve also seen euro mirrors that start flat and go wide angle at the outside edge.
Shoulder Check!
Fid Hawser says
This has been done for years as a windshield mirror by Wink (google it). I had one in my El Camino in 1970 and loved it. There, it can interfere with visors, though .
This is the first time I’ve seen the idea applied to side (motorcycle) mirrors. About time!
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Well, yeah, … except that it’s completely different, … did you read the article?
GuitarSlinger says
For what its worth and in Mr Hawser’s defense I thought the very same thing ……. errr…. until I read the ‘ complete ‘ article myself . Assumptions almost getting the better of me I’m afraid . I’d like to see one of these in the metal ( glass plastic , what ever its made of ) At the very least it sounds interesting . At the very best a possible brilliant solution in light of 99.9999 % of all modern car designs having more bloody blind spots than a full face helmet !
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
The Wink mirror has been around for a very long time, I seem to remember it in old JC Whitney catalogs about 40 or more years ago, but they simply mount a whole string of mirrors together, while this, makes a single mirror that looks like a normal mirror, then with a bit of math magic, forms it to display the distortion free wide angle image.
The inventor’s disco ball metaphor was just that, not a description of actual multiple mirrors. So, yes, the concept of multiple mirrors is old, but using a complex math algorithm to do all of this bending of the reflected image on one mirror is what makes this mirror unique. It’s the difference between using an enormous number of discrete transistors mounted on a huge circuit board or combining them all in one small microprocessor.
GuitarSlinger says
Paul – I think you may have missed my statement that after my original and very wrong ‘ assumption ‘ at first glance ….. upon reading the article I caught on as to how distinct the differences between a ‘ Wink ‘ and the ‘ Hicks ‘ mirror are .
e.g. I got it
Wanna see it first hand
May even get one once I do
BTW; You’re absolutely correct on the ‘ Wink’ being sold in the JC Whtiney catalogue as well as almost constant advertising back then in R&T OnTrack and MT magazine . You could barely turn a page in an automotive magazine without running into an Ad .. or three for the things back then !
dorzok says
proper adjustment of all three mirrors eliminates blind spots. i can see a passing car in my mirrors from the time it’s behind me all the way until its rear bumper pass my peripheral vision.
mARK says
Call, or email your congressman and tell them to change the law to allow mirrors such as this.
FREEMAN says
You can’t engineer the stupid out of people. This mirror changes nothing.
Fretka says
I think the real point here is remember to not ride in that blind spot of cars around you. Yeah, I know how obvious this statement is but I see it all the time. Also, don’t ride behind trucks or pickups loaded with stuff. And lastly, YOU may be able to stop at that yellow light easily, but can that vehicle behind you?
carolynne says
That is so true, it drives me crazy when people do that
Sick Cylinder says
I can see this type of mirror becoming popular on large vehicles which have no rear visibility except via mirrors – currently they have have multiple mirrors – also vans – the Transit Connect has two mirrors each side, one wide angle and one standard.
Mean Monkey says
I like this new mirror technology, hope that the price will be reasonable and the DOT will test/approve/allow it quickly. Having been rear-ended several times, (usually at stoplights) I try to get the biggest mirrors I can get. All I want is a chance to take off if someone is coming up on me fast.
On my Chevy S-10, I have the largest aftermarket mirrors and a set of wide-angle mirrors on both sides on the cab. While not the most fashionable look for a motorcycle, I have even considered the multi-mirror “Quadraphenia” scooter look on my Kaw Vulcan. And to add to what Bira Muniz said, I’ve always believed that the driver of every third car is actively trying to kill me.
Gary says
“I’ve always believed that the driver of every third car is actively trying to kill me.”
I ride paranoid too. I imagine I’m invisible and they are trying to get me.
jon spencer says
I have mounted a Riderscan mirror and ii works. It is not a flat mirror. But it is available now not sometime in the future.
http://www.huntercreate.com/index.htm
You still should do a shoulder check.
Tom says
I had a guy run me out of my lane the other day. I wasn’t in his blind spot, he just never bothered to look either at the mirrors, or perform a shoulder check. I just rode down the center of the highway with my horn held down until he noticed me and moved back over after giving me a sheepish look.
I think this mirror is an awesome thing though. Even with proper mirror adjustments, the visibility to the rear in most of the modern cars I’ve seen is atrocious. Not that most people seem interested in looking to the rear, or the side. Or in front of them half the time.
Paulinator says
Better yet…market an optically clear android so that drivers can text AND see the road.
Mean Monkey says
–Paulinator,
This might be a reason why that idea could fail. Have this vision of some knothead watching porn and driving.
http://jalopnik.com/5622527/meet-the-woman-arrested-for-driving-with-a-sex-toy
Pete says
Those mirrors have been around for a long time already, it’s a shame that car manufacturers don’t include them as standard.
It must be too costly for them, or not in the public’s attention – therefore uneeded.
Or they save the spot for selling expensive camera systems later.
todd says
A car ran into me once, his left front wheel hit the cylinder head on my old boxer as I was riding along side him and he decided to change lanes right into me. This had nothing to do with blind spots, mirrors or shoulder checks. In fact he probably checked his mirror and looked over his shoulder only failing to look slightly to the left through his windshield or side window to see me.
I’ve found that the worst are other motorcyclists. They will merge into you when you are already splitting that lane, or sometimes they remove their mirrors for that “racer” look. I came up behind a mirrorless GSXR Thursday. He would rocket past a car once there was about a 6 foot wide gap between them only to nail the brakes if there was anything less. He could not see me behind him to let me past nor did he notice me tapping my horn after I had enough of him. I finally had to swing wide across the other lane and back to get around him. Then there’s the guys on their choppers with 6 foot wide handlebars that never check their mirrors for other, faster riders behind them either. As soon as they notice you they speed up and do their best to make sure you can’t pass them.
In my experience, most people in cars seem to see me coming in their mirrors and move over slightly to let me pass.
-todd
fast eddie says
Remember the Italian driver in cannonball run , With his charming accent he said whats a b hind me makes a no diffar rance . I agree keep your eyes ahead don’t ever shoulder check . be where you are
It’s all smoke and mirrors ride safe FE
Fid Hawser says
Paul, you are correct, I responded after a too-quick scan of the story and I apologize.
Then, upon a closer look, thought it’s a complicated and probably quite expensive, alternative. I’d still buy them, if it could fit – much more sensible than fad knifeblade, etc. mirrors. I’ve been using round convex mirrors on my Bonneville for 10 years. As for legality, I’ll take my chances that a LEO could see the advantage and just ticket me for loud pipes instead. 😉
B50 Jim says
Think about how long it took the government to allow non-sealed-beam headlights — so figure we’ll be allowed to buy vehicles with these mirrors in about 10 years. In the meantime, I hope they’ll be available on the aftermarket soon.
Having learned to drive in a 1963 Chevy 60 Series truck (Dad figured I should learn from the top down; at age 12, yet), I used mirrors when backing up from the very start. Adjust them properly and you won’t have a blind spot but you won’t get a panoramic view as with Dr. Hick’s mirror. But even that won’t induce a lot of drivers to bother using it. As always, when we’re riding, we must assume drivers aren’t looking for us and make sure we’re in their danger spot for as short a time as possible. Here in Chicago, riders simply assume all drivers are trying to kill them, and ride accordingly.
john says
An algorithm for a mirror???
I do not know what that could possibly be. There are no moving parts in this mirror, correct? There are no electronics, correct? How do you have an algorithm for a solid object?
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
An algorithm is nothing more than a series of steps necessary to perform a particular operation, in this case, it’s used during the creation of the mirror. If you want to create a mirror such as the one described in this article, you first have to determine how to angle a single point on the mirror’s reflective surface and then vary the angle for each point across the entire surface:
The algorithm has nothing to do with the finished mirror.