And who said Mirror's can't evolve?

Mathematician Andrew Hicks designs unusual mirrors that reflect wide panoramas or even show text the right way round.

Non-reversing mirror

This mirror does not produce a "mirror" image, making it possible to read reflected text normally.

Hicks, a mathematician at Drexel University, Philadelphia, used computer algorithms to generate the mirror's bizarre surface, which curves and bends in different directions. The curves direct rays from an object across the mirror's face before sending them back to the viewer, flipping the conventional mirror image.

As well as neat tricks like this, Hicks' models make it possible to design mirrors that provide wide angled-views or eliminate distortion.

Driver-side mirror

Hicks' take on the driver-side mirror (top) provides much more information than the conventional kind.

The new design provides a massive 45° field of view compared to typical driver-side mirrors, which provide drivers with only a 17° field of view.

US regulations ban driver-side mirrors with a curved surface, but Hicks is hoping to sell his designs in markets such as Europe where they are permitted.

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