GB2148495A

GB2148495A - Measuring the area of crista cutis

Info

Publication number: GB2148495A
Application number: GB08423539A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takehiko Abe; Hiroshi Toida; Masahiko Mizukami
Original assignee: KISHOHIN KAGAKU KAIHO KENKYU
Current assignee: KISHOHIN KAGAKU KAIHO KENKYU
Priority date: 1983-09-19
Filing date: 1984-09-18
Publication date: 1985-05-30
Also published as: FR2552221B1; JPS6065378A; KR870000631B1; GB8423539D0; DE3433194A1; GB2148495B; FR2552221A1; IT1199410B; IT8403570A0; CH667582A5; KR850002384A; IT8403570A1

Abstract

By measuring the area of crista cutis the aging degree and condition of the skin may be judged. Utilizing a video camera 1 the skin surface is magnified 10-100 times and is projected on a monitor TV set 7, and video signals are also dual-valued by a video pattern sensor 11 to be projected on a monitor TV set 8 exclusively for the resulting black and white dual-valued video. The threshold is adjusted to show the crista cutis as white polygons surrounded by black lines of sulcus cutis, and as in this condition, crista cutis and sulcus cutis may not be entirely clear, the video is amended by the light pen (10) so as to accurately define the area of crista cutis. A computer 9 then calculates the area of crista cutis, taking into account the magnification. A fibre scope 5 provided with a light source may be attached to the camera 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of measuring the area of crista cutis and device therefor The present invention relates to a method of measuring the area of crista cutis by utilizing a video camera for judging the degree of aging and conditions of the skin and a device therefor.

The surface of the human skin comprises crista cutis elevated on the surface and sulcus cutis or depressed ridge-like parts. The crista cutis is of such shapes as triangles rhombic and polygons, and is formed like a net. The area of these individual crista cutis tends to increase as a person ages. In order to study the condition of the skin, the area of the crista cutis has conventionally been observed with a magnifying glass and the observed conditions have been judged, based on experience.

Such method of judging the condition of the crista cutis, however, has the disadvantage that accurate judgement cannot be guaranteed as it depends on the observer's subjectivity.

Further, it requires substantial experience to achieve the judging ability, and thus, such judgement cannot be made readily by anyone.

The present invention, in view of the conventional technical problems, aims to realize accurate measurement of the area of crista cutis and to realize easy measurement by anyone.

More specifically, the present invention concerns a device comprising a video camera, a monitor TV set for projecting the video magnified by the video camera, a video pattern sensor for dual-valuing the video on the monitor TV set and projecting the dual-valued video on a monitor TV set exclusively for dualvalued video, and a computer for calculating the area of predetermined crista cutis from the dual-valued video signals from the video pattern sensor, the video on the monitor TV set exclusively for dual-valued video being adjustable by a light pen connected to the video pattern sensor.

Also, a method of measuring utilizing the present device comprises an operation to magnify the skin surface by the video camera and to project the video of the magnified skin surface on the monitor TV set, an operation to dual-value the video on the monitor TV set and project it on the monitor TV set exclusively for dual-valued video, an operation to adjust the dual-valued video by the light pen so as to clarify the crista cutis and the sulcus cutis, an operation to select the crista cutis to be measured which is projected on the video screen, and an operation to put video signals of the crista cutis to be measured into the computer by the video pattern sensor. With this method, the area of crista cutis can be measured easily and accurately.

In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1-3 show an embodiment of the device of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the device as a whole; Figure 2 is a cross-section of the end of a fiber scope; Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the function of the video pattern sensor; and Figs. 4 to 8 are reproductions of video screen displays obtained.

Now the present invention will be described in detail in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3.

In the drawings, a video camera 1 for video analysis is provided with a C-mount lens 2 for making the camera's magnification 10-100 times. At the end of the C-mount lens is mounted a hard fiber scope 5 provided with a light source device 3 as the light source, which houses an optical fiber glass 4 arranged to irradiate the skin surface which is about 10 mm apart from the outer periphery of its end.

The video camera 1 is connected to a video tape recorder 6 which, in turn, is connected to a monitor TV set 7 which shows the video from the tape recorder. The monitor TV set 7, then, is connected to a video pattern sensor 11 which dual-values the video signals and project the dual-valued video on a monitor TV set 8 exclusively for dual-valued video, and which can memorize one scene of the dualvalued video and transfer it to a computer 9.

The video pattern sensor 11 can also directly adjust the video on the monitor TV set 8 exclusively for dual-valued video by a light pen 10 for video adjustment. A program which calculates the area of crista cutis designated by the light pen 10 among the video transferred from the video pattern sensor 11, is stored in the computer 9. A handle 12 for threshold adjusts density of the dual-valued video.

With the structure as described above, the device of the present invention is utilized for measurement in the following manner.

The fiber scope 5 attached to the video camera 1 is applied to the skin surface, and irradiating light by the optical glass fiber 4, video of the skin surface magnified by the video camera 1 with a pre-determined magnification (e.g. 100 times), is projected on the monitor TV set 7. Crista cutis of the skin surface, as shown in Figs. 4 to 8 is projected on the screen in the forms of triangles (Fig. 4) rhombi (Fig. 5) and polygons and those which do not show crista cutis or the like (Fig. 6) depending no individuals or spots to be measured. In the case of Fig. 6 however, it is not possible to measure, as no sulcus cutis is seen.Then, video signals of the monitor TV set 7 are put into the video pattern sensor 11 so as to dual-value them in black and white, and density is adjusted by the handle for threshold in order that net-like boundaries of the sulcus cutis are clearly projected (Fig. 7), in the dual-valued video, sulcus cutis is unclear, and its shadows and lines other than those of the skin appear due to conditions of light irradiation, the video is adjusted to clarify sulcus cutis and crista cutis by adding and erasing lines by the light pen 10 connected to the video pattern sensor 11. The adjusted video will be in the condition capable of measurement in which the light part is the crista cutis and the dark part the sulcus cutis (Fig. 8).Then, among the video of the projected crista cutis, the part to be measured is applied the light pen 10 so as to transfer video signals from the video pattern sensor 11 to the computer 9. The computer 9 in which data such as magnification have been put in in advance, will then calculate the area of the crista cutis designated by the light pen 10. In this manner, among the dual-valued video, areas of other crista cutis except for those in which it is partially broken away, will be calculated by the computer 9 in order. By out-putting the average value of the areas, the area of the crista cutis on the skin surface can be measured accurately.

As described above, with the device and method of the present invention, the area of the crista cutis of the skin can not only be measured more accurately and easily than the conventional means but also the aging condition of the skin can be judged, based on the accurate measurement of the area of the crista cutis. Thus, it will be possible to prescribe the skin makeup or treatment which suits its condition.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the area of crista cutis comprising an operation to magnify the skin surface by a video camera and to project the video thereof on a monitor TV set, an operation to dual-value the video on the monitor TV set and to project the dual-valued video on a TV set exclusively for dual-valued video, an operation to amend the dual-valued video by a light pen and clarify crista cutis and sulcus cutis, an operation to select the crista cutis to be measured in the amended video by the light pen, and an operation to put video signals of the crista cutis to be measured into a computer by a video pattern sensor.

2. A device for measuring the area of crista cutis comprising a video camera, a monitor TV set for projecting video magnified by the video camera, a video pattern sensor for dual-valuing the video and projecting the dual-valued video on a monitor TV set exclusively for dual-valued video and a computer for calculating the area of pre-determined crista cutis from the dual-valued video signals from the video pattern sensor, characterised in that the video on the monitor TV set exclusively for dual-valued video can be amended by the light pen connected to the video pattern sensor.

3. A method of measuring the area of crista cutis substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A device for measuring the area of crista cutis substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.