Skin Analysis Device With Pivoting Housing And Cross-Polarized Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skin analysis devices struggle with inconsistent image quality due to ambient light interference and facial distortion when accommodating users of varying heights, lacking efficient illumination and mounting systems that compromise image consistency and user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A device with a light-excluding housing, cross-polarized camera and light source, and a pivoting mechanism that adjusts to user height, ensuring consistent illumination and image capture while minimizing claustrophobia and facial distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a light-excluding housing is used to improve image quality by excluding ambient light, then image quality is improved, but the device becomes more complex and larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light source and camera into a single integrated housing structure, merging multiple components (light source, camera, polarization filters) into one unified unit. This integration achieves light exclusion and consistent illumination without requiring separate complex assemblies, thereby improving image quality while controlling device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera is positioned inside the light-excluding housing, with the light source surrounding the camera lens. This nested arrangement allows the light source to be contained within the housing structure while maintaining close proximity to the lens, achieving effective light exclusion and consistent illumination without increasing overall device footprint.
2Measurement precision
If the camera and light source are mounted to move together relative to the housing, then image consistency is improved, but the mounting structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The camera and light source are mounted on a common moving platform or carriage, merging their mounting structures. This allows both components to move together as a single unit relative to the housing, maintaining consistent spatial relationships and improving image consistency while reducing the complexity of separate mounting mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is designed to be movable, allowing the camera and light source to adjust their position relative to the housing. This dynamic mounting enables consistent illumination and image capture by maintaining optimal spatial relationships during operation, while the movement mechanism is integrated to minimize structural complexity.
3Measurement precision
If cross-polarized illumination is used to reduce reflections and improve skin image quality, then image quality is improved, but the optical system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the polarization filter directly into the camera lens assembly, merging the optical filtering function with the imaging component. This eliminates the need for separate polarization optics, reducing the overall optical system complexity while maintaining cross-polarized illumination capabilities for reduced skin reflections and improved image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source is configured to emit polarized light with a specific orientation, and the camera lens is equipped with a linear polarization filter at a perpendicular orientation. By controlling the polarization parameters (orientation angles) of the light source and filter, the system achieves cross-polarized illumination that reduces skin surface reflections and improves subsurface structure visibility, while the integrated design keeps the optical system compact.
4Volume of moving object
If the housing is made compact to improve portability, then device portability is improved, but the aperture size for receiving the face is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing incorporates movable or adjustable components, such as an adjustable aperture or flexible receiving structure, that can adapt to different face sizes and positions. This dynamic design allows the compact housing to accommodate various faces without requiring a large fixed aperture, maintaining portability while ensuring ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing may incorporate flexible or adjustable aperture structures that can open wider when needed and close smaller when not in use. This flexible design allows the device to maintain a compact form factor for portability while providing sufficient aperture size for face reception during operation, resolving the contradiction between size and ease of use.
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
The device provides high-quality, consistent skin images by excluding ambient light and using cross-polarized illumination, accommodating users of different heights with minimal adjustment, and enhancing image comparison capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the camera lens is provided with a linear polarization filter and the light source is configured to produce illumination which is cross polarized relative to said linear polarization filter
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for photographing a human face comprising: a) a light-excluding housing configured to receive a human face at an aperture in said housing; and b) a stand on which the light-excluding housing is mounted at one or more (preferably two rotatable pivot points, such that rotation about said pivot points results in movement of the aperture upwards and/or downwards.