Sharper Image – Fogless Mirror

When Merchsource approached Pump Studios, they wanted to design a shower mirror that could eliminate steam on the glass, play music, light up, and have a wide range of adjustments. As a shower-installed product, the device also needed to meet stringent sealing requirements.The first challenge was to reduce fogging on the mirror in a steamy shower environment.

We settled on an approach that uses a resistive flex circuit heater to warm the back of the mirror and eliminate the steam (similar to the defrost mechanism of an automotive’s rear window). Pump tested different patterns and power budgets to dial in an optimal time for defogging.

Another challenge was devising an adjustable wall mount strong enough to prevent the speaker and mirror from falling. After much testing, we optimized the magnet size and wall puck geometry, and we concluded that VHB tape would be sufficient to secure the wall mount to a multitude of bathroom surfaces.

Finally, we had to integrate these solutions into a sealed package that would allow sound from speakers to pass through, while also preventing any moisture from entering and contacting the electronics. We explored multiple concepts around charging, lighting, and control inputs, and we are excited that many of our ideas made it into the final product.