Patent Application
20230000731
Methods, systems, and materials for integrated photochromic cosmetic application are described. A photochromic formulation may be or include a core material and a photochromic layer overlying the core material and forming a particle centered around the core material.
In some embodiments, the photochromic layer may be or include a plurality of photochromic materials, including a first photo-responsive pigment characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a first central wavelength from 490 nm to 520 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a first characteristic wavelength. The photochromic layer may include a second photo-responsive pigment characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a second central wavelength from 570 nm to 590 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a second characteristic wavelength. The photochromic layer may also include a third photo-responsive pigment characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a third central wavelength from 450 nm to 495 nm and a fourth central wavelength from 625 nm to 740 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a third characteristic wavelength. The first characteristic wavelength, the second characteristic wavelength, and the third characteristic wavelength may be the same or different.
In some embodiments, the first photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclopentene. The second photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclopentene. The third photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(3-methylbenzo(b)thiophen-2-yl)perfluorocyclopentene. The photochromic layer may be or include spiropyrans, spirooxazines, diarylethenes, azobenzenes, quinones, silver halides, or zinc halides. The photochromic layer may be or include DAE-0001, DAE-0012, and DAE-0068.
In some embodiments, the core material may be or include a reflective mineral. The reflective mineral may be or include mica, titanium oxide, or silicon oxide. The photochromic formulation may further include a shimmer-control layer, interposed between the core material and the photochromic layer, wherein the shimmer-control layer includes a photo-responsive material characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength, the visible opacity corresponding to broad reflectance in the visible spectrum. The transition from visible transparency to visible opacity may be progressive in proportion to an extent of the irradiation. The particle may be characterized by a diameter less than or equal to 20 micrometers.
A photochromic formulation may be or include a core material and a structural color material overlying the core material forming a particle centered around the core material.
In some embodiments, the structural color material may be or include a photonic crystal material. The photonic crystal material may be or include a first photonic crystal material characterized by a first structural color in the blueish range. The photonic crystal material may be or include a second photonic crystal material characterized by a second structural color in the greenish range. The photonic crystal material may be or include a third photonic crystal material characterized by a third structural color in the reddish range. The photochromic formulation may further include a plurality of particles including the particle. The plurality of particles may include a first proportion of particles comprising the first nanostructured material. The plurality of particles may include a second proportion of particles comprising the second nanostructured material. The plurality of particles may also include a third proportion of particles comprising the third nanostructured material. The first proportion, the second proportion, and the third proportion may be substantially equal or disparate.
In some embodiments, the structural color material may further include a photo-responsive matrix characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength associated with the respective structural color. The nanostructured material may be or include a plurality of porous clusters suspended in the photo-responsive matrix. The porous clusters may be or include inverse opal formed from silicon oxide or titanium oxide. The photochromic formulation may further include a brightness layer overlying the photochromic layer. The brightness layer include a photo-responsive material characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength, the visible opacity corresponding to broad absorptance in the visible spectrum. The transition from visible transparency to visible opacity may be progressive in proportion to an extent of the irradiation. The brightness layer may be or include spiropyran or naphthopyran. The core material and the structural color material may be the same material or different materials.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the above-referenced drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Not all instances of an element are necessarily labeled to simplify the drawings where appropriate. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles being described.
Application of cosmetics and makeup in patterns and shapes can be difficult by hand. For example, intricate designs and theatrical makeup are typically applied by certified makeup professionals. Additionally, self-application can be a challenge generally for those with limited mobility. Currently, solutions are being explored through the development of handheld tools, such as cartridge-plus-dispenser solutions, which implement light-activated cosmetics guided by hand. Despite representing a technological alternative to brushes, such tools are limited by cartridge sizes, cleaning methods, inability to mix or blend colors, short battery life, and lack of location awareness. Also, by depending on a handheld device, such tools do not address accessibility concerns.
Photochromic formulations are described for applying a cosmetic design on a body surface, such as a subject's face or other region of interest, using one or more illumination sources. Described embodiments use photo-responsive materials in combination with reflective and/or structural color materials to define one or more exposure patterns mapped to the body surface using a projection of the cosmetic design onto a 3D mapping of the body surface. Described embodiments are useful in many contexts, including cosmetics or body art applications, skin feature mapping or monitoring, dermatological diagnosis or treatments, or telehealth applications. In the context of such applications, described embodiments provide precision and greater ease of use over complex manual routines.
In described embodiments, a photochromic formulation may include a micrometer-scale particulate material including multiple layers. Each layer may individually modulate a color or a cosmetic effect, including but not limited to shimmer, shine, brightness, angular color, luminescence, iridescence, or fluorescence. The layers may each be actuated/modulated/addressed by one or more wavelengths, as part of applying the cosmetic design both in terms of color fidelity and cosmetic effects. In an illustrative example, a micrometer-scale particle of the photochromic formulation may include a reflective core including mica or titania, a shimmer-control layer that includes a photo-responsive material that transitions from transparency to opacity under a specific wavelength, and a color layer including four photochromic materials. The photochromic materials may be individually addressable by four different and distinct wavelengths. In this way, a region of the body surface can be exposed with a combination of the four wavelengths to express a unique color, for example, as is used in CMYK pigment systems. By applying the photochromic formulation onto the body surface, for example, as a face powder or cream, exposure of the body surface (and thus the photochromic formulation) to an illumination source according to an exposure pattern can transfer the design in a touch-free manner.
Without being limited to a specific system or method, systems and methods for applying such cosmetic designs are also described in the context of a sensor-bearing system. Sensors suitable for use in described embodiments include 2-dimensional (2D) or 3-dimensional (3D) cameras, proximity sensors, or other integrated or peripheral cameras or sensors. Depth sensors are used in some embodiments to obtain 3D information about surfaces and include a range of possible hardware suitable for this purpose, including RGB or infrared stereoscopic cameras, laser or infrared LiDAR sensors, and dot projectors. 3D scans enable improved measurement of actual dimensions of a body surface and allow depth sensing, which can help to determine, for example, how far the body surface is from the camera, or detailed information about particular skin features, such as wrinkles. Reference points obtained through high-quality 3D scanning in accordance with described embodiments provides greater accuracy for determining location than traditional reference points obtained with 2D imaging, such as eyes, lips, noses, or other prominent facial features, and are particularly helpful where the region of interest is occluded.
The systems described expose the surface with multiple actuating wavelengths in accordance with the cosmetic design as mapped onto the 3D information collected by the sensors. In this way, the photochromic formulation, applied to a region of the body surface, can be made to take on the cosmetic design accurately and precisely by illumination with the actuating wavelengths rather than manual application of cosmetics. Advantageously, the materials, systems, and methods described also provide improved accessibility to users with limited mobility or dexterity, for whom cosmetic application, such as makeup, may otherwise involve assistance by another person. As an additional advantage, the materials, systems, and methods described also permit a user to develop, try, or experiment with multiple cosmetic designs without removing or changing the photochromic formulation. For example, in some embodiments, the photochromic formulation can be reset using the same actuating wavelengths used to apply the design, thereby permitting another cosmetic design to be applied. Such versatility reduces the number of materials and layers applied for each design, and further simplifies cosmetic application.
As part of the example system 100, one or more cameras 150 of a client computing device 104 includes one or more cameras and captures images of a subject's face 102. In the example shown, the client computing device 104 is a purpose-built mobile computing device including a visible light mirror 106, one or more illumination sources 108, and one or more user interface elements 110 to prompt the subject with visual and/or auditory prompts. For example, the interface elements 110 may be or include a display electronically coupled with the computer system to generate a visual prompt (e.g., “please face forward”) either in a peripheral physically coupled with the mirror 106. Additionally or alternatively, the client computing device 104 may be electronically coupled with an acoustic speaker to generate an auditory prompt.
The mirror 106 may include one or more portions 112 characterized by unidirectional transparency, for example, in ultraviolet, visible, and/or infrared spectral ranges. The camera(s) 150 may be optically coupled with the visible light mirror 106 to receive visible light via a first portion 112-1, and the illumination source(s) 108 may be optically coupled with the visible light mirror 106 and configured to emit a plurality of discrete wavelength channels via a second portion 112-2 of the mirror 106. In this way, the mirror 106 may appear uniform, and the system 100 may appear aesthetically as an ordinary cosmetic mirror without outward indication that the system 100 incorporates electronics, cameras 150, or illumination sources 108. For example, the components of the client computing device 104 may be integrated into a housing 114 that appears similar to a consumer cosmetic mirror rather than an electronics system. In this example, the housing 114 may conceal power sources, heat management systems, and other components.
While the client computing device 104 is illustrated in a particular configuration (e.g., as a countertop mirror or vanity mirror), additional and/or alternative form factors are contemplated. For example, the system 100 may include a smartphone or tablet computer in communication with the client computing device 104, such that one or more computer-executable operations are undertaken by the smartphone or tablet computer rather than by the client computing device 104. In this way, the client computing device 104 may be or include smaller housings 114, including, but not limited to, a cosmetics compact or an electronic peripheral configured to electronically couple with a smartphone or tablet computer that includes the camera 150, the illumination source 108, or both. Similarly, the mirror 106 can be or include a full-size wall mirror, such that the client computing device 104, the camera(s) 150 and the illumination source(s) 108 may be positioned behind the mirror 106 and the one or more portions 112 may be located relative to the camera(s) 150 and the illumination source(s) 108. In such a configuration, the system 100 may be installed as a fixture, rather than as a portable system and a single mirror 106 may be configured to conceal multiple client computing devices 104, multiple cameras 150, and multiple illumination sources 108, corresponding to a number of “makeup stations,” as in a salon or makeup trailer.
The illumination source 108 may include one or more optics configured to form a beam and to scan the beam. The optics may include lenses or mirrors internal to the housing 114 that may be actuated or otherwise controlled to direct a beam from the illumination source(s) 108 to the subject's face 102. For example, the illumination source 108 may be or include one or more laser sources corresponding to the plurality of discrete wavelength channels, as described in more detail in reference to
The client computing device 104 may be in electronic communication with additional systems via a network or over near-field communication protocols (e.g., wifi, bluetooth, etc.). For example, the client computing device 104 may pair with a mobile electronic device, such as a smart phone or tablet, from which the client computing device 104 may receive an identifier of a design. Similarly, the client computing device 104 may communicate with a server, storing numerical representations of designs, and may access the design from the server. The server may be a remote server or may be a local server, where the terms “remote” and “local” are used both to refer to physical proximity to the system 100 and to denote whether the client computing device 104 and the server are configured to communicate over a public network, such as the internet, or a distributed network system (e.g., a cloud system). In some cases, the client computing device 104 may store design data locally for a number of cosmetic designs, for example, using a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., SSD flash memory, hard disk drives, etc.). For example, the client computing device 104 may receive newly released cosmetic design data and associated metadata from the server, such as identifier information and interface data (e.g., images representing the cosmetic design on a model), which may be provided via the interface elements 110 or via the mobile electronic device. In such cases, the system may be configured to operate with intermittent or no network connectivity.
In some embodiments, the camera 150 acts as a far-field camera positioned and configured to capture video or still images of subject's face 102, as well a region of interest 120 of the subject's face 102, such that the region of interest 120 is within the field of view 152 of the camera(s) 150. In the example shown, the region of interest 120 is shown as a portion of the left cheek of the subject's face 102, but the region of interest 120 may cover a larger portion of the subject's face 102, such as the entirety of the subject's face 102. In some embodiments, the camera unit 150 includes more than one camera, such as for stereoscopic image or video capture and/or depth sensing. In some embodiments, the camera unit 150 also includes one or more sensors other than cameras (e.g., a LiDAR sensor or infrared dot projector for depth sensing, a proximity sensor for proximity detection, etc.). In some embodiments, an infrared dot projector projects infrared dots onto a surface, and reflections from the surface are measured by an infrared camera to determine the distance each dot is from the projector system. When working in conjunction with a 3D camera, these depth measurements can be mapped onto a captured 3D image. This approach is used in some embodiments to generate a 3D model of a body surface, and for real-time tracking of additional features to be used for mapping a cosmetic design onto the subject's face 102 or other body parts.
As shown, a first polygon 202-1 of the design 200, referenced as Celli,j in the i-j plane of the numerical representation, may include multiple types of design data corresponding to different layers of the design 200. For example, the design data for the first polygon 202-1 may include, but is not limited to, a face-on color tuple and a low-angle color tuple, indicating two different colors to be generated by the system 100 at different angles. Each tuple may include color level information corresponding to the photo-responsive materials incorporated into a photochromic formulation. For example, the photochromic formulation may include one, two, three, four, five, or more different photo-responsive materials.
By selectively modulating the photo-responsive materials in accordance with the color levels for each polygon, the cosmetic design 200 may be applied to the user. As described in more detail in reference to
Generating the 3D projection 210 may include multiple computational operations to generate a numerical representation of a portion of a face of the user using the camera (e.g., a facial mapping). The camera may be or include multiple image sensors configured to capture stereoscopic images. In this way, the numerical representation of the portion of the face may be or include a tensor of position information defining a surface of the face (e.g., in the region of interest 120 of
Other adaptations can be performed for variations in lighting conditions, viewing angles, or other factors. As one example, a light sensor mounted on the client computing device 104 can be used to measure current lighting conditions relative to a baseline lighting condition. If the environment is too bright or too dark, the client computing device 104 may generate a prompt to increase illumination and/or may activate an illumination source (e.g., illumination source 108 of
The projection 210 may be generated by various means to reduce artifacts of the projection onto the face. For example, the polygons into which the design 200 is divided may be heterogeneously scaled, skewed, or otherwise modified when generating the projection 210, as illustrated. For example, where the cosmetic design may include each polygon with a uniform size, the projection 210 may include many different sizes for the polygons 212. In some embodiments, resizing may correspond to the contours of the facial mapping, where regions of high dynamic range correspond to smaller polygons 212 and regions of low dynamic range correspond to larger polygons 212. Additionally and/or alternatively, the projection 210 may be resized in accordance with information density. For example, where the number of polygons 202 making up the design 200 correspond to the resolution of the design, analogous to a pixel resolution of a digital image, information-rich regions of the design 200 may include relatively high numbers of polygons 202, compared to regions that include negligible design information. As an illustrative example, more polygons may be used to describe the regions around facial features, such as eyes, nose, mouth, or eyebrows, in contrast to regions of the cheeks, jaw, forehead, etc. In this way, the projection 210 may be include exposure data for both a face-on direction (e.g., substantially normal to the surface) and for a low-angle direction, as defined for one or more angles of the user's face relative to the illumination source. In this context, “substantially” refers to a range of ±20% of the stated value.
The exposure data illustrated in
The projection 210 may reduce artifacts of applying the design to the face. For example, the polygons into which the design 200 is divided may be heterogeneously scaled, skewed, or otherwise modified when generating the projection 210, as illustrated. For example, where the cosmetic design may be described with each polygon having a uniform size, the projection 210 may include many different sizes for the polygons 212. In some embodiments, resizing may correspond to the contours of the facial mapping, where regions of high dynamic range correspond to smaller polygons 212 and regions of low dynamic range correspond to larger polygons 212. Additionally and/or alternatively, the projection 210 may be resized in accordance with information density. For example, where the number of polygons 202 making up the design 200 correspond to the resolution of the design, analogous to a pixel resolution of a digital image, information-rich regions of the design 200 may include relatively high numbers of polygons 202, compared to regions that include negligible design information. As an illustrative example, more polygons may be used to describe the regions around facial features, such as eyes, nose, mouth, or eyebrows, in contrast to regions of the cheeks, jaw, forehead, etc. In this way, the projection 210 may include exposure data for both a face-on direction (e.g., substantially normal to the surface) and for a low-angle direction, as defined for one or more angles of the user's face relative to the illumination source, using a dynamic mesh accounting for surface features.
The core material 310 may be or include a reflective mineral. In some embodiments, the reflective mineral may be or include mica, titanium oxide, or silicon oxide. In this way, the core material 310 may impart shimmer, may amplify the color effect of the photochromic formulation 300, and may impart specular color to the photochromic formulation 300. In some embodiments, the core material 310 may be or include a material that fluoresces under ambient conditions (e.g., Sun, UV, etc.), for example, titanium oxide nanoparticles. In this way, the core material 310 may provide a white foundation to improve color fidelity of the photochromic layer 330. Similarly, the core material 310 may be or include a polymeric material characterized by a diffuse color, which may be selected from a range of shades or tones. In an illustrative example, the core material 310 includes a mixture of titanium oxide nanoparticles suspended in a white polymer microbead with a diameter from 0.1-5 μm, or larger. In this example, the core material 310 can provide a diffuse white foundation for the photochromic layer 330 under indoor conditions, and a brilliant white foundation under sunlit conditions that will amplify the perceived intensity of the photochromic layer. Advantageously, such an approach permits the photochromic formulation 300 to respond to changing ambient conditions by amplifying or damping the brightness of the color.
The shimmer control layer 320, interposed between the core material 310 and the photochromic layer 330, may be or include a photo-responsive material characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength. The visible opacity may correspond to broad reflectance in the visible spectrum. Additionally or alternatively, the visible opacity may correspond to a solid diffuse color. In this way, the shimmer control layer 320 may permit modulation of any optical properties of the core material 310 independently of the photochromic layer 330. In some embodiments, the transition from visible transparency to visible opacity is progressive in proportion to an extent of the irradiation. For example, the shimmer control layer may be or include a photo-responsive polymer, including but not limited to spiropyran, sprooxazine, diarylethenes, or naphthopyran, that transitions either physical confirmation or electronic state in response to irradiation at the characteristic wavelength. As an illustrative example, spiropyran transitions under UV irradiation to absorb photons of visible light, and therefore appear colorful. When the UV source is removed, the molecules gradually relax to their ground state. Without being limited to a particular range, the characteristic wavelength may be in the UV range, such as about 400 nm or less, about 380 nm or less, about 360 nm or less, about 340 nm or less, about 320 nm or less, within the ranges of energy that human skin is adapted to absorb at least in intermittent exposure (e.g., UV-A and/or UVB). In some embodiments, the characteristic wavelength may be in the visible range, from about 380 nm to 750 nm, such that the shimmer-control layer may be modulated between a UV-absorber and a visible-absorber under irradiation by visible light, which may be preferred over UV light for some users. For example, some diarylethene coordination complexes, such as polyoxometalate diarylethene coordination complexes, switch between UV-absorbers to broad-spectrum absorbers from about 425 nm to about 800 nm, centered around a wavelength of about 620 nm after irradiation at a characteristic wavelength of 400 nm. In this context, the term “about” is used to indicate a margin of ±5% on either side of the stated value.
The photochromic layer 330 may be or include multiple photochromic materials. The photochromic materials may be or include materials selected to provide a color-rendering dyad, triad, tetrad, or larger number of materials, with which a range of colors represented in the cosmetic design (e.g., cosmetic design 200 of
For example, a first photo-responsive dye or pigment may be included that is characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a first central wavelength from 490 nm to 520 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a first characteristic wavelength. In this way, the first central wavelength may correspond to the cyan portion of the CMY triad. In some embodiments, the first characteristic wavelength may be an activation wavelength or a deactivation wavelength, such that the first photo-responsive dye or pigment may exhibit stable transparency that is modulated to a stable diffuse color in response to irradiation at the first characteristic wavelength. Alternatively, the first photo-responsive dye or pigment may exhibit stable diffuse color that is modulated to a stable transparency in response to irradiation at the first characteristic wavelength. For example, for deactivation mechanisms, the first characteristic wavelength may be from about 625 nm to about 740 nm, corresponding to red light. For activation mechanisms, the first characteristic wavelength may be generally in the ultraviolet range, as described above. In this context, the term “about” is used to indicate a margin of ±5% on either side of the stated value.
Similarly, a second photo-responsive dye or pigment may be characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a second central wavelength from 570 nm to 590 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a second characteristic wavelength. In this way, the second central wavelength may correspond to the yellow portion of the CMY triad. As described in reference to the first photo-responsive dye or pigment, the second photo-responsive dye or pigment may be modulated by an activation or deactivation mechanism. For deactivation mechanisms, the second characteristic wavelength be from about 450 nm to about 495 nm, corresponding to blue light. For activation mechanisms, the second characteristic wavelength may be generally in the ultraviolet range, as described above. In this context, the term “about” is used to indicate a margin of ±5% on either side of the stated value.
Similarly, a third photo-responsive dye or pigment may be characterized by reversible diffuse reflectance at a third central wavelength from 450 nm to 495 nm and a fourth central wavelength from 625 nm to 740 nm in response to irradiation by photons of a third characteristic wavelength. In this way, the third photo-responsive dye or pigment may correspond to the magenta portion of the CMY triad. As described in reference to the first photo-responsive dye or pigment, the third photo-responsive dye or pigment may be modulated by an activation or deactivation mechanism. For deactivation mechanisms, the second characteristic wavelength may be from about 495 nm to about 570 nm, corresponding to green light. For activation mechanisms, the second characteristic wavelength may be generally in the ultraviolet range, as described above. In this context, the term “about” is used to indicate a margin of ±5% on either side of the stated value. In some embodiments, the third photo-responsive dye or pigment may be or include more than one type of photo-responsive molecule to impart the third central wavelength and the fourth central wavelength rather than a single molecular structure imparting both.
In some embodiments, the photochromic layer 330 may be or include, but is not limited to, photochromic materials such as spiropyrans, spirooxazines, diarylethenes, azobenzenes, quinones, silver halides, or zinc halides. For example, the first photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclopentene. The second photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclopentene. The the third photo-responsive pigment may be or include 1,2-bis(3-methylbenzo(b)thiophen-2-yl)perfluorocyclopentene. In some embodiments, the photochromic layer may be or include a mixture of materials described by trade name. For example, in reference to the DAE naming system developed by Yamada Chemical Company, LTD. Of Japan, the photochromic layer may be or include DAE-0001, DAE-0012, and DAE-0068 photochromic dyes. Other DAE dyes or pigments may be available, including but not limited to DAE-0002, DAE-0003, DAE-0004, DAE-0005, DAE-0015, DAE-0016, DAE-0017, DAE-0018, DAE-0019, DAE-0020, or other functional photochromic dyes or pigments classified as “p-type” that isomerize in response to irradiation.
In some embodiments, the photochromic layer 330 may also include a fourth photochromic material to impart a black-channel as part of a CMYK tetrad (also referred to as the “key” channel). Similar to the photochromic materials described above, the fourth photochromic material may be characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength (e.g., UV photons). In contrast to the CMY triad materials, the K material may be isomerized between a broad absorber (e.g., a diffuse black color) across the visible spectrum and a broad transmitter (e.g., transparent). The inclusion of the fourth photochromic material to impart the K-channel in the photochromic layer 330 provides improved color rendering fidelity to the photochromic formulation, as is observed in CMYK printing systems.
Additionally or alternatively, the photochromic layer 330 may be or include a material that exhibits structural color. In contrast to pigments and dyes, structural color is generated by interference effects caused by the structure of the material, rather than photon-absorption by electrons in atomic or molecular orbitals. In multilayer thin-film materials, for example, structural color can result from wavelength-dependent phase shifting that produces interference in a characteristic pattern in the visible spectrum, observed as a color. In contrast to photochromic materials described above, however, structural color may be fixed, rather than transitioning between two color states.
In this way, the photochromic layer 330 may be a structural color layer, including one of three or more structural color materials. In contrast to the photochromic pigments or dyes described above that render colors by subtractive color mixing, structural color is typically not susceptible to modulation by an activation/deactivation wavelength. Instead, materials exhibiting structural color are typically characterized by a static wavelength-dependent color, that manifests in response to exposure to photons at a characteristic wavelength, polarity, or other property. In this way, structural color materials may be selected to reproduce an additive color triad. Examples of an additive color triad include but are not limited to an “RGB” triad as in addressable pixel displays. In this way, the photochromic formulation 300 may include a mixture of particles including particles with different structural color materials, the proportion of which can be selected to produce different color rendering capabilities. In an illustrative example, the photochromic formulation can include a mixture of red-structural color particles, green-structural color particles, and blue-structural color particles, in substantially equal proportions (e.g., 1:1:1—R:G:B). In this context, “substantially” is used to indicate a distribution of values ±10% of the stated value.
In some embodiments, the structural color is imparted to the photochromic layer 330 by a nanostructured or microstructured material. For example, the structural color layer may be or include porous clusters suspended in a photo-responsive matrix. The porous clusters may be or include inverse opal, as may be formed from silicon oxide or titanium oxide. Inverse opals are three-dimensionally ordered macroporous photonic crystal particles, characterized by structural color that is tunable by synthesis parameters. For example, by synthesis of silicon oxide crystals in a colloidal matrix template that forms the photonic crystal structure after pyrolysis. As a photonic crystal material, a powder of the material can retain the structural color properties of the bulk crystal. In this way, a suspension of porous clusters that act as photonic crystals may be incorporated into a photochromic material that acts as the photo-responsive matrix. As such, the structural color layer may be provided by the core material 310, where the core material includes a photonic crystal characterized by a structural color.
In turn, the photo-responsive matrix modulates the exposure of the porous clusters to incident photons by transitioning from transparent to opaque under irradiation by a characteristic actuation/modulation wavelength. Similar to the photochromic materials described above, the photo-responsive matrix may be characterized by a transition from visible transparency to visible opacity, or the reverse, when exposed to irradiation of a characteristic wavelength (e.g., UV photons, visible photons, or infrared photons). As with the K-channel material or the shimmer control layer 320, the photo-responsive matrix material may be isomerized between a broad absorber (e.g., a diffuse black color), a broad reflector (e.g., a diffuse white color), or a narrow reflector (e.g., a specific diffuse color) to a broad transmitter (e.g., transparent). The specific diffuse color may be used, for example, to provide a neutral tone that may be matched to the skin tone, while black or white matrix materials may be used to provide foundations to promote color rendering fidelity. In some embodiments, the specific diffuse color may be provided by blending multiple photochromic materials in the photo-responsive matrix, such that the characteristic wavelength may include multiple wavelengths that together modulate the blend.
In terms of the structures illustrated in
Overlying the photochromic layer 330, the photochromic formulation 300 may include an encapsulation layer 340. The encapsulation layer 340 may be or include an inert polymeric material providing an chemical and/or diffusion barrier to protect the underlying materials from chemical oxidation or other degradation reactions. Similarly, the encapsulation layer may isolate the materials making up the photochromic layer 330, the shimmer-control layer 320, and the core material 310 from body surfaces (e.g., the subject's face 102 of
Under irradiation by photons of one or more characteristic wavelengths 415, the photochromic formulation may transition from the first state 410 to a second state 420. The second state 420 may be characterized by a diffuse color, as when the photochromic formulation 400 includes a photonic crystal or a blend of photochromic materials. As described above, the diffuse color may result from sctructural color or subtractive color mixing, and may be characterized by wavelength-dependent reflectance of photons of one or more wavelengths 425. For photochromic materials, color rendering results from subtractive mixing of two or more photo-responsive pigments, while for structural colors, each particle may be characterized by a single diffuse color. As such, the number of wavelengths 425 corresponds to the type of material making up the photochromic formulation 400. In an illustrative example, for a structural color particle, the characteristic wavelength 415 may be in the visible spectrum, and may be applied to transition a photo-responsive material, such as spiropyran or naphthopyran, from a diffuse black color to a transparent color, thereby revealing a photonic crystal layer (e.g., either layer 330 or core material 310 of
In some embodiments, the photochromic formulation 400 may be “locked in” to the second state 420. In this context, “locking in” refers to a process whereby the photochromic formulation 400 includes a photo-responsive material that isomerizes, polymerizes, or undergoes another chemical change in response to irradiation by a “locking” wavelength, different from the characteristic wavelength 415. The photo-responsive material may be an example of the encapsulation layer (e.g., encapsulation layer 340 of
Each constituent peak of the spectrum 450 may be generated by the illumination source of the system 100 described in reference to
In some embodiments, the central wavelengths of the illumination source(s) are different. Even so, channel crosstalk may be observable in some cases, where emission intensity distributions for one or more wavelengths is broad enough to overlap with the nearest neighboring central wavelength. While crosstalk may impair the individual addressability of the respective photo-responsive materials, limited crosstalk may have limited to negligible impact on the color rendering fidelity, where dynamics of photo-chromaticism are relatively slow or where colors are typically blended. For example, a first photo-responsive pigment or dye may respond to bluish light relatively rapidly, where a second photo-responsive pigment or dye may respond to greenish light relatively slowly. As such, where the emission intensity of a bluish central wavelength may extend into the greenish range, the exposure time of the green-sensitive material to greenish illumination may be such that little to no transition is observable in the green-sensitive material. Similarly, relatively few colors exclude one or more of the triad or tetrad channels entirely. In this way, the relative impact of low-level channel overlap may be limited to a marginal change, rather than a step change in color rendering strength.
As illustrated, the photochromic formulation 500 may be or include a photo-responsive powder including a blend of photochromic materials, as described in reference to
At operation 602, the computer system receives a numerical representation of a cosmetic design. The numerical representation of the cosmetic design includes a tensor of color intensity information for a plurality of colors. The plurality of colors correspond to a cosmetic composition (e.g., photochromic formulation 500 of
At operation 604, the computer system detects, using a camera in electronic communication with the computer system, a user of the system facing a visible light mirror (e.g., mirror 106 of
The method 600 may optionally include generating, by the computer system, a prompt for the user to apply the mixture of photochromic materials at operation 606. As described in reference to
At operation 608, the computer system generates, using the camera, a numerical representation of a portion of a face of the user (e.g., region of interest 120 of subject's face 102 of
At operation 610, the computer system defines one or more exposure patterns for the surface of the face, at least in part by projecting the tensor of color intensity information onto the tensor of position information. As described in more detail in reference to
At operation 612, using an illumination source (e.g., illumination source 108 of
The method 600 may optionally include operation 614, whereby the computer system generates a second prompt for the user to reposition relative to the cameras (e.g., reposition from a face-on posture to a semi-profile posture), such that the illumination sources may be aligned with a different portion of the face. As described in more detail in reference to
In its most basic configuration, the computing device 700 includes at least one processor 702 and a system memory 704 connected by a communication bus 706. Depending on the exact configuration and type of device, the system memory 704 may be volatile or nonvolatile memory, such as read only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), EEPROM, flash memory, or similar memory technology. Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will recognize that system memory 704 typically stores data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or currently being operated on by the processor 702. In this regard, the processor 702 may serve as a computational center of the computing device 700 by supporting the execution of instructions.
As further illustrated in
In the exemplary embodiment depicted in
As used herein, the term “computer-readable medium” includes volatile and non-volatile and removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology capable of storing information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. In this regard, the system memory 704 and storage medium 708 depicted in
Suitable implementations of computing devices that include a processor 702, system memory 704, communication bus 706, storage medium 708, and network interface 710 are known and commercially available. For ease of illustration and because it is not important for an understanding of the claimed subject matter,
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the devices, methods, and systems described.
