Evaluation methods, screening methods, methods for selecting treatment conditions, equipment, proposed equipment, and programs.

Abstract

To provide a new technology for evaluating a shape of hair made of keratin fiber.SOLUTION: An evaluation method for the curling degree or straightness degree of hair made of keratin fibers includes evaluating the curling degree or straightness degree of the hair, on the basis of the degree of circularity of an ellipse obtained when the ellipse is fitted to the hair.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of hair composed of keratin fibers.

Background Art

[0002] Hair composed of keratin fibers (hereinafter, also simply referred to as hair) can be shaped by various methods. For example, examples of hair include human body hair such as hair, eyelashes, and mustaches, or animal body hair. Hair can be shaped by a method such as a so-called permanent.

[0003] In order to achieve appropriate hair shaping, evaluation of its shape is essential. Conventionally, methods for evaluating its shape have been studied. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for evaluating the degree of frizzy hair using, as an index, a value obtained by dividing the short diameter by the long diameter in the cross-sectional shape of hair.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The inventor has studied a method for evaluating hair and found that there is a problem in that it is difficult to obtain the desired hair cross-sectional parameters with high accuracy by the method disclosed in Patent Document 1. One aspect of the present disclosure proposes a new technique for evaluating the shape of hair composed of keratin fibers.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure proposes a new technique for evaluating a method for treating hair composed of keratin fibers. Another aspect of this disclosure proposes a novel method for screening ingredients and treatment methods that are effective in deforming hair composed of keratin fibers.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure proposes a new technique for selecting treatment conditions for hair composed of keratin fibers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is a method for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of hair composed of keratin fibers, which includes evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of the hair based on the roundness of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair.

[0009] This method allows for the evaluation of hair curl or straightness (hereinafter also simply referred to as hair shape) based on the circularity of an ellipse. When evaluating hair shape using the circularity of an ellipse, the variability of the evaluation results is suppressed compared to when evaluation is performed using parameters obtained by fitting a perfect circle. Therefore, the above method enables the evaluation of hair shape with high accuracy.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for evaluating a method for treating hair composed of keratin fibers, comprising: treating the hair in question using the treatment method; obtaining the circularity of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair in question before and after treatment; and comparing the circularity of the hair in question before and after treatment.

[0011] This method allows for the confirmation of changes in hair shape based on the change in the circularity of the hair before and after hair treatment. Since the circularity of an ellipse allows for highly accurate evaluation of hair shape, changes in hair shape due to treatment can be accurately identified. Therefore, this method allows for the appropriate evaluation of hair treatment methods.

[0012] A further aspect of the present disclosure is a screening method for effective hair deformation components and treatment methods for deforming hair composed of keratin fibers into a curly or straight shape. The screening method includes: treating hair with a treatment agent containing a candidate component effective for hair deformation, or a treatment method containing a candidate procedure effective for hair deformation; obtaining the circularity of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair after treatment with the treatment agent containing the candidate component or the treatment method containing the candidate procedure, and to a control hair; and comparing the circularity of the hair after treatment with the treatment agent containing the candidate component or the treatment method containing the candidate procedure with the circularity of the control hair.

[0013] This method allows for the confirmation of the treatment's effectiveness based on the change in the circularity of the hair before and after the treatment. Since the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high precision using the circularity of an ellipse, the change in hair shape due to the treatment can be accurately identified. Therefore, this method allows for the appropriate screening of ingredients and treatment methods effective for hair deformation.

[0014] A further aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of hair composed of keratin fibers, comprising a calculation unit, a determination unit, and an output unit. The calculation unit calculates the circularity of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair in an image of the hair. The determination unit determines the degree of curl or straightness of the hair based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit. The output unit outputs the determined result.

[0015] With this configuration, the shape of the hair can be evaluated based on the circularity of the ellipse. When evaluating the shape of the hair using the circularity of the ellipse, the variability of the evaluation results is suppressed compared to when evaluation is performed using parameters obtained by fitting a perfect circle. Therefore, with the above configuration, the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high accuracy.

[0016] A further aspect of the present disclosure is a method for selecting treatment conditions for deforming hair composed of keratin fibers into a curly or straight shape, comprising selecting treatment conditions based on the roundness of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair in question, and the roundness of the hair corresponding to the desired degree of curl or straightness of the hair.

[0017] This method allows the shape of the hair before treatment and the target hair shape to be represented by the circularity of an ellipse. Because the circularity of an ellipse allows for highly accurate evaluation of the hair shape, the type of shape change required to achieve the target hair shape can be appropriately recognized. Therefore, this method allows for the appropriate selection of what treatment should be performed on the hair.

[0018] A further aspect of this disclosure is a proposal device for proposing treatment conditions for transforming target hair into a curly or straight shape, comprising a calculation unit, an acquisition unit, a selection unit, and an output unit. The calculation unit calculates the circularity of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the target hair in an image of the target hair. The acquisition unit acquires the circularity of the hair corresponding to the target degree of curl or straightness. The selection unit selects the proposed treatment conditions based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit and the circularity acquired by the acquisition unit. The output unit outputs the selected treatment conditions.

[0019] In this configuration, the shape of the hair before treatment and the target hair shape are determined using the circularity of an ellipse. Since the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high accuracy using the circularity of an ellipse, it is easy to determine the degree of deformation required. Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to appropriately select what kind of treatment should be performed on the hair.

[0020] One aspect of the present disclosure is a proposal program for causing a computer to function as a proposal device for proposing treatment conditions for curling or straightening target hair, the proposal program including: a calculation unit that calculates the roundness of an ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the target hair in an image of the target hair; an acquisition unit that acquires the roundness of the hair corresponding to a target curl degree or straightness degree of the hair; a selection unit that selects treatment conditions to be proposed based on the roundness calculated by the calculation unit and the roundness acquired by the acquisition unit; and an output unit that outputs the selected treatment conditions, causing the computer to function as such.

[0021] With such a program, a computer can function as the above-described proposal device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a shape evaluation system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIGS. 2A-2D are diagrams for explaining a method of acquiring roundness by image processing. [Figure 3] FIG. 3A is a diagram for explaining the difference between a perfect circle fitting and an ellipse fitting, and FIG. 3B is a diagram for explaining the curl degree of hair based on roundness. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the result of roundness obtained by image processing. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing treatment conditions obtained by screening.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. [1. Embodiment] This embodiment describes a method for evaluating the shape of hair using the shape evaluation system 1. In this embodiment, "hair" refers to hair composed of keratin fibers. Specifically, this includes body hair, including human hair, and wool. The shape of the hair refers to the degree of curl or straightness of the hair, and its specific degree is indicated by the circularity of the ellipse obtained when an ellipse is fitted to the hair. The circularity of the ellipse will be described later. In the following, "degree of curl or straightness of hair" will also be simply referred to as "shape of hair".

[0024] [1-1. Configuration of the Shape Evaluation System] As shown in Figure 1, the shape evaluation system 1 includes a camera 11, an input device 13, a display 15, and an information processing device 17.

[0025] Camera 11 is a device used to photograph hair. The image data representing the captured image is used by the information processing device 17. The method of outputting the image data to the information processing device 17 is not particularly limited. For example, if the camera 11 and the information processing device 17 are configured to communicate information wirelessly, the image data may be transmitted to the information processing device 17 wirelessly. Alternatively, the image data may be stored in a storage medium such as a flash memory that can be attached to the camera 11, and the image data may be transferred to the information processing device 17 via the storage medium.

[0026] The input device 13 is a device for receiving various inputs from the user to the information processing device 17, such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel. The display 15 is a device that displays images in response to signals output from the information processing device 17.

[0027] The information processing device 17 comprises a microcomputer having a CPU 21 and, for example, a semiconductor memory such as ROM or RAM (hereinafter simply referred to as memory 23). Each function of the information processing device 17 is realized by the CPU 21 executing a program stored in the memory 23.

[0028] The method of obtaining the program is not particularly limited. It may be pre-installed on the information processing device 17. Alternatively, it may be provided stored on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, USB memory, or flash memory. It may also be downloaded to the information processing device 17 via an internet communication line.

[0029] The information processing device 17 also includes, although not shown in the diagram, an interface for connecting to the input device 13 and receiving input from the input device 13, and an interface for outputting image signals to the display 15.

[0030] The information processing device 17 has a functional configuration realized by executing a program stored in the memory 23, and includes a calculation unit 31, a determination unit 33, an acquisition unit 35, a selection unit 37, and an output unit 39.

[0031] The calculation unit 31 calculates the circularity of an ellipse obtained by fitting an ellipse to the target hair in an image of the target hair. The determination unit 33 determines the degree of curl or straightness of the target hair based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit 31. The acquisition unit 35 acquires the circularity of the hair corresponding to the target degree of curl or straightness. The selection unit 37 selects the proposed treatment conditions based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit 31 and the circularity acquired by the acquisition unit 35. The output unit 39 outputs the result determined by the determination unit 33 and also outputs the treatment conditions selected by the selection unit 37 to the display 15.

[0032] Furthermore, any two or more of the components constituting the shape evaluation system 1 may be configured as a single unit. For example, the input device 13 may be a touch panel located on the display screen of the display 15. Also, all parts, including the camera 11, may be housed in a single enclosure and configured as a portable terminal device such as a tablet or smartphone.

[0033] The input device 13 and the display 15 may be connected to the information processing device 17 by wire or by wireless connection. The information processing device 17 may also be connected to the input device 13 and the display 15 via a communication line such as the Internet. The input device 13 and the display 15 may be provided in a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or other portable device.

[0034] [1-2. How to obtain the circularity of an ellipse] The circularity of an ellipse as used in this disclosure will be explained below. The circularity of an ellipse can be expressed as follows: Circularity = 4πS / L 2 In the above formula, S is the area and L is the perimeter.

[0035] In this embodiment, an ellipse is fitted to the target hair. There are no restrictions on the method of fitting the ellipse to the hair, but it is preferable to use the least squares method. The circularity of the ellipse that fits the hair appropriately is used as a parameter representing the shape of the target hair as described above. Hereafter, the circularity of the ellipse will also be referred to simply as circularity.

[0036] An example of a method for obtaining circularity by image processing is explained using Figures 2A-2D. A sample of hair of a predetermined length is placed on a plane without applying any load. This sample is photographed by camera 11 from a direction perpendicular to the plane, and an image 51 as shown in Figure 2A is obtained.

[0037] Next, as shown in Figure 2B, thresholding, such as binarization, is performed on the captured image to clarify the hairy areas in the image. Then, as shown in Figure 2C, the contour 53 to which the ellipse will be fitted is determined. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 2D, an ellipse 55 that fits the determined contour 53 is found. Once the shape of the ellipse 55 is determined, the circularity described above can be calculated.

[0038] Furthermore, the image processing to obtain contours corresponding to hairs from the captured images, and the specific calculation methods for finding a fitting ellipse from the obtained contours, are not particularly limited and can be performed using various software for obtaining specific shapes from images.

[0039] This section explains the advantages of using the circularity of an ellipse rather than a perfect circle to evaluate the shape of a hair. As shown in Figure 3A, the curvature of the cut hair sample 101 is not necessarily constant at each position and may vary depending on the location. Therefore, depending on the position of the hair sample 101, the radius of the fitted circle 111 and 113 tends to vary. On the other hand, in the case of an ellipse 121, it is easier to obtain an ellipse that fits a wider range of the hair 101 compared to a perfect circle, thus absorbing the positional variation in the curvature of the hair 101 and achieving a good fit.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3B, the closer the circularity is to 1, the closer the ellipse is to a perfect circle, meaning the hair has a greater degree of curl (in other words, it is more curly). Conversely, the closer the circularity is to 0, the less curl the hair has. Curl and straightness are related; the greater the curl, the less straight the hair is. In other words, the closer the circularity is to 1, the less straight the hair is, and the closer the circularity is to 0, the greater the straightness.

[0041] [1-3. Examples of evaluation using circularity] [1-3-1. Evaluation of hair shape] Using the shape evaluation system 1, the degree of curl or straightness of the hair was evaluated according to the following procedure.

[0042] (i) Creating untreated hair One gram of hair from each subject was prepared and randomly divided into two 0.5g portions. One portion was designated as Group 1, and the other as Group 2. Group 1 received no treatment and was designated as untreated hair (control).

[0043] (ii) Creating permed hair The target hair was treated using a prescribed processing method to create treated hair. Here, the hair from the second group described above was wrapped around a 15 mm diameter rod and permed using Beewaves 40 (a perming agent manufactured by Hoyu Co., Ltd.) to create permed hair.

[0044] (iii) Obtaining circularity Elliptic fitting was performed on the untreated hair of Group 1 and the permed hair of Group 2, and the circularity of the fitted ellipse was obtained. In other words, the circularity of the target hair before and after perming was obtained. Here, two points were randomly selected from the untreated hair of Group 1 and the permed hair of Group 2, and each was cut to a length of approximately 30 mm. Then, one end of the cut hair was fixed and each was photographed using camera 11. The information processing device 17 performed elliptic fitting on the captured images as described above and calculated the circularity of each. This calculation of circularity is a process performed by calculation unit 31.

[0045] (iv) Evaluation of shape Based on the degree of roundness obtained for each of the first and second groups, the degree of curl or straightness of the hair was evaluated.

[0046] Figure 4 shows the captured images, fitting results, circularity, and shape evaluation results. The fitting results in Figure 4 are images in which ellipses that fit the hair shown in the captured images are superimposed on the captured images. Circularity is the circularity of the ellipses fitted to each hair sample.

[0047] The circularity of untreated hair was 0.720 and 0.267. The circularity of permed hair was 0.987 and 0.957. In the images of untreated hair, sample 1 was slightly more curled than sample 2. Correspondingly, the circularity of sample 1 was greater than that of sample 2. Permed hair also showed high circularity in all cases. In the images, sample 3 was more curled than sample 4 and closer to a perfect circle. Correspondingly, the circularity of sample 3 was greater than that of sample 4. As described above, it was confirmed that the circularity parameters obtained by elliptic fitting accurately reflect the degree of hair shape.

[0048] Furthermore, the straighter the hair is (i.e., the closer the circularity is to 0), the greater the change in the circularity value will be compared to the perceived change in curl. In other words, when the circularity is close to 1, the change in curl will feel larger in proportion to the change in circularity.

[0049] The following is an example of a criterion for evaluating shape using circularity. Roundness of 0.000 or more and less than 0.500: Straight Roundness of 0.500 or higher to less than 0.800: Slightly straight (minor curl) Roundness of 0.800 or higher to less than 0.950: Mild curl (medium curl) Roundness of 0.950 or higher and less than 1.000: Strong curl (very curly, equivalent to after a perm) The process of determining the shape of the target hair is performed by the determination unit 33. Furthermore, the information processing device 17 output the results of the circularity and shape evaluation of each sample to the display 15. This output of the judgment results is a process performed by the output unit 39.

[0050] [1-3-2. Evaluation of hair removal methods] Using the shape evaluation system 1, the hair treatment method was evaluated, and ingredients and treatment methods effective for hair deformation were screened according to the following procedure.

[0051] (i) Preparation of the sample to be processed Eleven sets of 25 hairs from the first test subject were prepared, with each set consisting of 25 hairs. The roundness of all hairs was measured beforehand, and the hairs were allocated so that the average roundness value was the same for each group. The same preparation was carried out for the hairs of the second test subject. The number of samples was 10 sets of 25 hairs per group.

[0052] (ii) Treatment of hair Next, the hair treatment was performed with various modified treatment conditions. In this procedure, several candidate ingredients were included in the treatment agent used to treat the hair. Candidate ingredients are those selected as candidates for use as ingredients effective in modifying hair.

[0053] Of the hair samples from the first test subject, the group of hair that had been bleached with a treatment agent that did not contain the candidate ingredient was designated as the control group (first control hair). Additionally, the group of hair that had been bleached with a treatment agent containing candidate ingredient A was designated as treatment group A. Furthermore, the group of hair that had been bleached with a treatment agent containing candidate ingredient B was designated as treatment group B.

[0054] Furthermore, from the hair of the second test subject, the group that underwent bleaching treatment with a treatment agent that did not contain the candidate ingredient was designated as the control group (second control hair). In addition, the group that underwent bleaching treatment with a treatment agent containing candidate ingredient C was designated as treatment group C.

[0055] (iii) Obtaining circularity The elliptical circularity was obtained for the first and second control hairs, which were hairs treated with a treatment agent that did not contain the candidate component, and for treatment groups A, B, and C, which were hairs treated with a treatment agent that contained the candidate component. Here, the circularity was calculated using the same method as the method for obtaining circularity described in [1-3-1. Evaluation of hair shape and treatment method](iii) above. This calculation of circularity is a process performed by the calculation unit 31.

[0056] (iv) Comparison of the circularity of the target hair before and after treatment The average values ​​of the hair circularity measured in (iii) above were as follows: The circularity of the first control hair was 0.9. The circularity of treatment group A was 0.72. The circularity of treatment group B was 0.75. The circularity of the second control hair was 0.95. The circularity of treatment group C was 0.9.

[0057] (v) Screening of treatment agents By comparing the circularity of the first control hair, the second control hair, treatment group A, treatment group B, and treatment group C, we evaluated the treatment methods and screened for treatment content appropriate to the purpose.

[0058] (a) As described above, the circularity of the first control hair, treatment group A, and treatment group B was 0.9, 0.72, and 0.75, respectively. From this, it can be concluded that when attempting to change the circularity of hair that has a circularity of 0.9 after a normal bleaching treatment to 0.7 through bleaching, it is preferable to incorporate candidate component A, which is related to the treatment of treatment group A, into the bleaching agent rather than candidate component B, which is related to the treatment of treatment group B.

[0059] (i) As described above, the circularity of the second control hair and treatment group C was 0.95 and 0.9, respectively. From this, it can be seen that when attempting to change the circularity of hair that would normally have a circularity of 0.95 to 0.9 by bleaching, it is preferable to incorporate candidate component C into the treatment agent.

[0060] (vi) Other tests for screening In (i) to (v) above, the treatment method was limited to bleaching, and the function and suitability of the candidate components were investigated and screened by changing the candidate components. The inventors performed screening by changing not only candidate components but also various combinations of treatment agents and treatment methods (hereinafter also simply referred to as treatment conditions). The treatment methods referred to here include procedures selected as candidates for treatments effective in modifying hair. Specific examples of treatment methods include bleaching, perms, hair straightening, hair dyeing, shampoos, conditioners, irons, curling irons, etc., but many other treatments for hair are also included. Among the specific examples of treatment methods performed during screening, bleaching, perms, hair straightening, hair dyeing, shampoos, and conditioners are preferred, bleaching, perms, hair straightening, and hair dyeing are more preferred, and bleaching and perms are even more preferred.

[0061] Among the procedures selected as candidates for treatments effective in modifying hair, as described above, various conditions can be changed. Examples of these changeable conditions include the type and number of treatments and methods used, the application time, the diameter and type of rods used in perms, the shape and type of tools used in the treatment such as combs and clips, the temperature, and the pH. Furthermore, the treatment conditions subject to screening may include not only candidate components and treatment methods, but also components contained in the treatment agent, their combinations, component concentrations, and pH. By performing screening while varying these conditions, it is possible to determine the appropriate treatment conditions for achieving a predetermined degree of roundness. In addition, two or more of the above-mentioned modifiable conditions may be combined.

[0062] The screening is performed by comparing the roundness of control hair with either hair treated with a treatment agent containing the candidate component, or hair treated with a procedure selected as a candidate for an effective treatment. In (i) to (v) above, the control hair was exemplified as hair treated with a treatment agent that did not contain only the candidate component. However, the specific form of the control hair is not particularly limited, as long as it is hair that can be used as a comparison target for screening. For example, when screening for an effective treatment procedure, the control hair can be hair that has been treated in a way that does not include a candidate procedure effective for hair deformation, but the other procedures are the same. Alternatively, the control hair may be untreated hair.

[0063] By performing the screening described above, we were able to obtain the conditions for the treatment agent and procedure corresponding to the initial roundness and the target roundness, as illustrated in Figure 5. This information can be stored, for example, in memory 23.

[0064] [1-4. Selection of treatment conditions] The procedure for selecting treatment conditions that can be performed using the shape evaluation system 1 is described below. Treatment conditions, in this context, refer to the conditions for transforming hair into a desired curled or straightened state. The operator can use the shape evaluation system 1 to determine the treatment conditions necessary to give the subject's hair the desired shape. The operator and the subject may be the same person.

[0065] (i) Determining the circularity of the hair before treatment The shape evaluation system 1 acquires the circularity of the subject's hair before treatment using the same method as the circularity acquisition method described in [1-3-1. Evaluation of hair shape and treatment method](iii) above. If the operator or subject knows the circularity of their own hair, the circularity acquisition process described above can be omitted.

[0066] (ii) Determination of target circularity The operator inputs the desired degree of curl or straightness of the subject's hair into the information processing device 17 using the input device 13. Here, the display 15 shows multiple models with different degrees of hair curl, and the operator selects the model with the desired degree of curl or straightness. The circularity of the hair of the selected model is determined as the target circularity. Note that the above input method is just one example, and the specific input method is not limited. For example, the parameter for the desired circularity may be directly input. The information processing device 17 acquires the roundness of the hair corresponding to the target hair shape based on the input from the subject. This process is performed by the acquisition unit 35.

[0067] (iii) Selection of treatment conditions The information processing device 17 selects treatment conditions to propose to the subject based on the acquired circularity before treatment and the target circularity acquired by the acquisition unit 35. For example, from the list of treatment conditions including treatment agents and treatment methods shown in Figure 5, it selects a treatment agent and treatment method that match the circularity before treatment and the target circularity. This process is performed by the selection unit 37. The selection unit 37 may select only one combination of treatment agent and treatment method, or it may select multiple combinations. Furthermore, the information processing device 17 outputs the results of the selected treatment agent and treatment method to the display 15. This output of the selected treatment conditions is a process performed by the output unit 39. The information processing device 17 capable of performing the selection of the treatment conditions described above is an example of the proposed device in this disclosure. Furthermore, the program that causes the information processing device 17 to function as the calculation unit 31, acquisition unit 35, selection unit 37, and output unit 39 described above is an example of the proposed program in this disclosure.

[0068] [1-5. Effects] According to the first embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.

[0069] (1a) In the method for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of hair using the shape evaluation system 1 of the present disclosure, the shape of the hair can be evaluated based on the circularity of an ellipse. By evaluating using the circularity of an ellipse, the variability of the evaluation results is suppressed compared to, for example, when fitting a perfect circle to obtain parameters. In addition, since the fitting element is only an ellipse, the process is simplified and it is suppressed that different results are shown when measuring the same object. Therefore, the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high accuracy.

[0070] (1b) In the method for evaluating hair treatment methods using the shape evaluation system 1, it is possible to know how the circularity of the ellipse obtained by fitting an ellipse to the hair changes before and after hair treatment. For example, it is possible to determine whether or not the treatment method is suitable for achieving the desired circularity based on the circularity of the treated hair. Since the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high accuracy by using the circularity of the ellipse, the treatment method can also be evaluated appropriately.

[0071] (1c) In the screening method for ingredients and treatment methods effective for hair deformation using the shape evaluation system 1, the effect of the treatment can be confirmed based on the change in the circularity of the hair before and after treatment. Since the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high precision by using the circularity of an ellipse, it is possible to determine with high precision how the hair has changed due to the treatment. As a result, ingredients and treatment methods effective for hair deformation can be suitably screened.

[0072] (1d) In the method for selecting treatment conditions for changing hair into a curly or straight shape using the shape evaluation system 1, the shape of the hair before treatment and the target shape of the hair can be shown by the circularity of an ellipse. Since the shape of the hair can be evaluated with high accuracy by using the circularity of an ellipse, the content of the shape change required to achieve the target shape of the hair can be appropriately recognized. Therefore, it is possible to suitably select what kind of treatment should be performed on the hair.

[0073] [2. Other Embodiments] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and can take various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0074] (2a) In the above embodiment, a configuration was shown in which the circularity is calculated using the shape evaluation system 1. However, the circularity may be calculated without using a computer system. For example, a fitting ellipse may be selected manually using a predetermined tool.

[0075] (2b) The functions of one component in the above embodiment may be distributed among multiple components, or the functions of multiple components may be integrated into one component. Also, some of the configurations of the above embodiment may be omitted. Also, at least some of the configurations of the above embodiment may be added to, replaced with, or otherwise adapted to the configurations of other above embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1…Shape evaluation system, 11…Camera, 13…Input device, 15…Display, 17…Information processing device, 21…CPU, 23…Memory, 31…Calculation unit, 33…Determination unit, 35…Acquisition unit, 37…Selection unit, 39…Output unit, 51…Captured image, 53…Contour, 55…Ellipse, 101…Hair, 111,113…Circle, 121…Ellipse

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of a single hair composed of keratin fibers, An evaluation method comprising: performing threshold processing on an image of a single hair to determine the contour of the single hair; fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method; and evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of the single hair based on the degree of circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L, respectively, of the formula: circularity = 4πS / L².

2. A method for evaluating a treatment method for a group of hairs composed of keratin fibers, Threshold processing is performed on an image of a single untreated hair, which is one hair included in the group of hairs before the application of the processing method, to determine the contour of the single untreated hair, and an ellipse is fitted to the contour using the least squares method to obtain the circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the formula: circularity = 4πS / L², respectively. Processing the group of hairs using the processing method described above, The process involves taking an image of a single treated hair, which is one hair included in the group of hairs after the processing method has been applied, performing the thresholding process on the image to determine the contour of the single treated hair, fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and obtaining the circularity obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L, respectively, in the calculation formula, An evaluation method comprising comparing the circularity of one untreated hair with the circularity of one treated hair.

3. A screening method for components and treatment methods effective for deforming a group of hairs composed of keratin fibers into a curly or straight shape, The process involves treating the group of hairs with a treatment agent containing a candidate component effective in deforming the group of hairs, or a treatment method including a procedure that is a candidate for being effective in deforming the group of hairs. The process involves: performing threshold processing on an image of one hair included in the group of hairs after treatment with a treatment agent containing the candidate component or a procedure including the candidate steps, determining the contour of the hair; fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method; and obtaining the circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L in the calculation formula: circularity = 4πS / L²; and performing the threshold processing on an image of one control hair included in the control group to determine the contour of the control hair; fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method; and obtaining the circularity obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L in the calculation formula, respectively. A screening method comprising comparing the roundness of a single hair after treatment with a treatment agent containing the candidate component, or a treatment method including the candidate procedure, with the roundness of a single control hair.

4. A screening method according to claim 3, The method further includes: performing the thresholding process on an image of another hair included in the group of hairs after treatment with a treatment agent containing the candidate component or a treatment method including the candidate procedure to determine the contour of the other hair, fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and obtaining the circularity obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L, respectively, of the calculation formula; and performing the thresholding process on an image of another control hair included in the control group to determine the contour of the other control hair, fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and obtaining the circularity obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L, respectively, of the calculation formula; A screening method in which the average value of the circularity of the aforementioned one hair and the aforementioned another one hair is compared with the average value of the circularity of the aforementioned one control hair and the aforementioned another control hair.

5. A device for evaluating the degree of curl or straightness of a single hair composed of keratin fibers, A calculation unit that performs thresholding on an image of a single hair to determine the contour of the single hair, fits an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and calculates the circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the formula: circularity = 4πS / L², respectively. A determination unit that determines the degree of curl or straightness of the single hair based on the degree of roundness calculated by the calculation unit, A device comprising an output unit that outputs the determined result.

6. A method for selecting treatment conditions for transforming a group of hairs composed of keratin fibers into a curly or straight shape, A method for selecting treatment conditions, comprising: performing threshold processing on an image of a single hair included in the group of hairs to determine the contour of the single hair; fitting an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method; substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the variables S and L in the formula: circularity = 4πS / L², respectively, to select the treatment conditions based on the circularity of the ellipse and the circularity of the hair corresponding to the target degree of curl or straightness of the hair.

7. A proposal device for suggesting treatment conditions for transforming a group of target hairs into a curly or straight shape, A calculation unit performs thresholding on an image of a single hair included in the group of hairs to determine the contour of the single hair, fits an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and calculates the circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the formula: circularity = 4πS / L², respectively. An acquisition unit that acquires the circularity of the hair corresponding to the target degree of curl or straightness of the hair, A selection unit selects the proposed treatment conditions based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit and the circularity acquired by the acquisition unit. The proposed device comprises an output unit that outputs the selected treatment conditions.

8. A proposed program for causing a computer to function as a suggestion device for suggesting treatment conditions for transforming a group of target hairs into a curly or straight shape, A calculation unit performs thresholding on an image of a single hair included in the group of hairs to determine the contour of the single hair, fits an ellipse to the contour using the least squares method, and calculates the circularity of the ellipse obtained by substituting the area and perimeter of the ellipse into the formula: circularity = 4πS / L², respectively. An acquisition unit that acquires the circularity of the hair corresponding to the target degree of curl or straightness of the hair, A selection unit selects the proposed treatment conditions based on the circularity calculated by the calculation unit and the circularity acquired by the acquisition unit. As an output unit that outputs the selected treatment conditions, A proposed program for making the aforementioned computer function.

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