Method and apparatus for the non-contact determination of temporal changes in color and intensity of objects

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention discloses a method and a device for non-contact, real-time monitoring of color and intensity changes in various objects, including human skin or plants, by analyzing light reflected, transmitted, or emitted at specific wavelengths. By using a system of multiple cameras—including overview, detail, and measurement cameras, along with specialized nano-optical filters—the invention enables precise, contactless detection and analysis of physiological or chemical states (such as pulse, oxygen saturation, or plant health) from a distance and for multiple subjects or objects simultaneously.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Monitoring vital signs (e.g., heart rate, oxygen saturation) of multiple patients in hospitals without attaching electrodes or sensors
• Performance diagnostics for athletes in sports centers without invasive or restrictive devices
• Remote surveillance of neonates (newborns) or restless patients in neonatal and intensive care units
• Assessing plant health and stress in agriculture or botany based on chlorophyll or other pigment changes
• Monitoring emotional or physical stress in patients with psychological conditions (e.g., autism) in clinical psychology
• Detection of jaundice in newborns through remote skin color analysis
• Crowd health or emotional surveillance in public spaces like airports or train stations for early detection of medical emergencies or security risks
• Industrial inspection of LEDs or devices based on emission/reflection stability
• Environmental monitoring of forests or farmlands for data on plant or soil health

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables simultaneous monitoring of multiple subjects/objects without physical contact, increasing efficiency in clinical and non-clinical environments
• Reduces discomfort, risk of infection, or stress for patients, especially infants or individuals sensitive to direct contact sensors
• Allows continuous and remote tracking, including in situations where conventional sensors are impractical or impossible to use
• Minimizes the need for specialized personnel to attach or manage sensors and decreases setup and maintenance time
• Highly versatile: applicable across medical, sports, agricultural, industrial, and security/surveillance fields
• Nano-optical filters integrated into sensors enable highly specific wavelength analysis, reducing computational overhead and improving real-time capability
• Improves data quality by reducing artifacts or errors introduced by physical sensors or contact-based systems
• Compact and robust design suitable for portable or fixed installations
• Potential for mass production and cost reduction through semiconductor manufacturing techniques

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for the non-contact determination of color and intensity variations over time in objects in a scene, for example in sports centers or hospitals, but also of plants. For monitoring the state of health or for performance diagnostics for athletes, a number of methods are known in the prior art, but they predominantly rely on contact with the persons. The color and intensity variations relate to light of specific wavelengths which is either actively emitted by the object itself, for example an LED, or which is partly absorbed or attenuated by the object upon illumination and is therefore not completely reflected. The term "color variations" denotes here in the literal sense generally changes in the wavelength, i.e. for example the shift in a reflection maximum or transmission maximum within narrow wavelength ranges. The term "intensity variations" denotes generally variations in the maximum reflection or transmission at a constant wavelength. In the field of sports medicine applications, however, "color variations" are likewise understood to mean intensity variations because the latter appear to bring about a color variation subjectively and only apparently as a result of a change in brightness, but this is not actually the case for an individual color or wavelength, but rather only for the overall impression brought about by the mixture of all colors or wavelengths: If the intensity of a color of main emphasis changes, then a different overall color impression arises for an observer in total in the color mixture of the individual wavelengths. Jaundice in humans, in particular newborns, will be mentioned as an example here: The higher concentration of bilirubin in the blood results in intensified reflection in the wavelength range of between (420) nm and (450) nm and hence in the color of the skin being perceived to be significantly yellower than in healthy humans.