Abstract:
An apparatus and a method for objectively ascertaining a color match between a selected standard color and the color exhibited by an interference effect pigment during processing thereof and terminating the process upon achieving a match. The invention provides a spectrophotometer attached to a flow cell to monitor the color of a platy effect pigment to monitor pigment color and ascertain completion of the coating reaction process involved in interference pigment production.
Abstract:
A method and systemof image processing on a computer, and a computer program product adapted for image processing, wherein a digital image of an article is improved into a computer, the digital image is colour-corrected, an internal palette is generated from a database of predetermined colour attributes and applied to teh colour-corrected digital image so as to generate a second digital image, and wherein a third digital image corresponding to the second digital image is generated, but replacing the predetermined colour attributes with vivid colour attributes. The present invention is of particular utility in the manufacture of dental prestheses from ceramics materials which substantially match a person's natural tooth colours.
Abstract:
A digital camera (12) connects to a tooth shade analyzer subsystem, e.g., a digital video processor (14), and a color display monitor for the electronic determination of the color of patient's teeth. Preliminarily, the camera captures (26) a series of digital color images of tooth shades corresponding to reference shade guides (34), and electronically compares the reference shades to an image of the patient's tooth. In a preferred embodiment the comparison is done over a set of pseudo-pixels, each corresponding to a group of pixels in an high-resolution camera. Once a match is found, it is communicated to a user of the system (52). In a specific embodiment the camera is equipped with a sleeve and illumination subsystems that help reduce the variations in the color of digital images due to external factors.
Abstract:
Skin coloration categories are identified based upon opponent color undertones of the skin. For example, using a color measuring device (10), Hunter b value is developed from measures of blue, yellow and lightness. That value alone then determines which of several categories of skin coloration a subject's skin exhibits. Category selection is made by comparison of measured Hunter b with ranges of Hunter b values of skin color categories. Instrumentation includes the color measuring device (10), a central processing unit (15), memory (17), and an output device. The skin color Hunter b is calculated and compared to stored ranges to assign a category which is then displayed on the output device. Colors compatible with skin color categories are identified or formulated based upon broad color family designation, yellow, brown, red, etc., and a comparison of measured and stored ranges of known or specifically developed color characteristics for the particular family.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus is provided for customising a facial foundation product at point of sale to a customer. Three essential elements are that of a skin analyzer for reading skin properties, a programmable device receiving the reading and correlating same with an optimal formula from a preprogrammed set of formulas, and a formulation machine for preparing the facial foundation product from various cosmetic chemical compositions. The formulation machine receives instructions from the programmable device on the optimal formula. This formula is then dosed and blended from a series of dispensers containing separate cosmetic chemical compositions into a receiving bottle. The optimal formula may be altered through customer preferences by manual alteration of the selected optimal formula.
Abstract:
The device of the invention includes a spectrocolorimeter (1) for analyzing the colour of the dental structure (2, 3) near the site (4) of the restoration to be effected, a dispenser (9) of given and adjustable quantities of basic components, different dyes, in paste or gel form, and a mixer (19) positioned at the outlet of the dispensor (9) for preparing a blend of at least two components. The device also includes a programmed data processing unit with the colorimetric features of each of the basic components stored in its memory, the device being connected via its inputs to the spectrocolorimeter (1) and to a manual element (6) for introducing the quantity of the required material. Said data processing unit is connected via its outputs to the dispenser (9) and the mixer (19), so as to control, after computation, the number and quantities of the components to be dispensed as well as their blending with a view to obtaining the desired quantity of material of the colour analyzed.
Abstract:
Method for determining the color of an object (10), such as a tooth, by measuring its diffuse spectral reflectance by means of a spectrometer (20), detectors (22) and electronic processing circuits (24, 26, 28) associated with a microprocessor (32), the method consisting in determining the total chromatic difference between the color of the tooth and the colors of a sample chart within a uniform space L*, a*, b*, and the root-mean-square deviation between the diffuse spectral reflectance of the tooth and that of the colors of a sample chart in order to determine the color of the prothesis.