UVue
UV visualization booth — shows beachgoers where sunscreen is applied (and where it isn’t) using a mirror-based UV camera system powered entirely by sunlight.
Concept
A freestanding photo-booth-style kiosk at beaches, resorts, and public pools. Uses a two-way mirror with an OLED display behind it to overlay UV absorption data directly onto the user’s reflection. Sunscreen-covered skin appears dark under UV; missed spots glow bright.
The booth doesn’t add UV exposure — it visualizes what the sun is already doing.
Revenue Model
| Tier | Description |
|---|---|
| Free | 30-second spot check (rate-limited via face detection, 1/person/day) |
| $5 | 5-minute full scan + UV forecast projection |
| $0.25/min | Overtime after paid session |
| $30 | Summer pass — unlimited scans, UWB auto-activation |
Sunscreen vending (single-use packets) at the booth for impulse purchase after seeing gaps.
Channels
- Pay-per-use public booths — operated at beaches, boardwalks
- Wholesale to hospitality — turnkey units for resorts, water parks, cruise ships, public pools ($2-5k/unit)
- Sponsored/grant-funded — public health deployments via health departments, dermatology orgs, sunscreen brand sponsorships
Prior Art
- Sunscreenr (Voxelight, Chapel Hill NC) — handheld UV camera, Shark Tank S8. Deal with Kevin O’Leary fell through. Never shipped to most Kickstarter backers. Out of business by 2022. Failed on manufacturing/sourcing, not demand.
- Nurugo SPF — phone-attached UV camera, low resolution
- Voxelight UV Mirror — sold to Zeiss for Walmart optical departments. Proved the mirror concept commercially.
- Academic validation: PMC study (PMC10501517) found 83% of participants would use UV photography again. All three camera systems tested were adequate for detecting SPF 15-50+.
Key Design Principles
- Honesty over urgency — No supplemental UV lighting that inflates how bad coverage looks. The sun provides the illumination; cloudy day = low UV = less contrast = accurate.
- Projection with transparency — Can simulate future UV intensity (2-hour forecast from NOAA data) by increasing LED illumination, but clearly labeled “SIMULATED — projected UV at 2 hours.” This shows future UV levels, NOT sunscreen degradation modeling.
- Accessible — Works on all skin tones, all sunscreen types (cream, spray, powder, SPF 15+).