NIR Spectroscopy Hair Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining hair damage, particularly reductive damage, are complex, expensive, and inaccessible to end-users, making it difficult to assess the extent of damage before applying further cosmetic treatments, which can lead to unsuitable product usage and dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) system that uses a detection unit to emit and detect light in specific wavelength ranges to analyze thiols in hair, allowing for the evaluation of reductive damage through chemometric models, providing a non-destructive, cost-effective means to assess hair condition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If chromatographic methods (HPLC) are used to determine hair damage, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical chromatographic systems (HPLC) with a simplified optical detection system using NIR spectroscopy. The detection unit uses near-infrared light to directly measure thiol content in hair, eliminating the need for complex sample preparation, hydrolysis procedures, and chromatographic separation equipment. This substitution maintains measurement capability while dramatically reducing device complexity and operational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If chromatographic methods are used to determine hair damage, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multi-step chromatographic procedure is replaced by a single-step optical measurement. The detection unit directly irradiates the hair sample with NIR light and measures the reflected or transmitted light to determine thiol content, eliminating tedious sample preparation, hydrolysis, and chromatographic analysis steps. This makes the measurement accessible to end-users without specialized training.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables end-users to perform their own hair damage assessment without requiring professional laboratory equipment or expertise. The simplified detection unit can be operated directly by consumers to determine their hair's thiol content and receive personalized treatment recommendations, making the service self-performable.
3Reliability
If conventional damage assessment methods are used, then reliability of damage detection is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NIR spectroscopy measurement can be performed continuously and rapidly on hair samples without interruption. The detection unit provides real-time or near-real-time assessment of thiol content, eliminating the time-consuming sequential steps of sample collection, preparation, hydrolysis, and chromatographic analysis required by conventional methods, while maintaining reliable damage detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, non-destructive assessment of reductive hair damage, facilitating the selection of suitable hair treatment products and improving treatment outcomes by providing personalized recommendations based on the hair's chemical composition.
Implementation Method 1
a near-infrared sensor (NIRS) which is designed to irradiate a hair sample with electromagnetic waves in the near-infrared range at a wavelength between 800 and 2500 nm and to detect the light emitted by the hair sample
Implementation Method 2
the sulfur species formed during a reductive treatment of hair can be characterized by vibrational spectroscopy
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement (100) for determining reductive damage of hair. The arrangement contains a detection unit (110) for detecting hair characteristics and an evaluation unit (120) for evaluating the detected hair characteristics and for determining the reductive damage of hair based on the detected hair characteristics. The detection unit (110) contains a near-infrared sensor, NIRS, and is designed to irradiate a hair sample with electromagnetic waves in the near-infrared range in a wavelength range of between 800 and 2500 nm and to detect the light emitted from the hair sample. The detection unit (110) is designed to generate a spectrum of the emitted light and to supply it to the evaluation unit (120), and the evaluation unit (120) is designed to determine reductive damage on the basis of the spectrum of the emitted light in a wavelength range of between 1970 und 1980 nm.