Sony develops high-speed skin analyzing technology

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Sony Corp says it has developed a highly accurate, high speed technology for analyzing various elements of the skin, including texture, blemishes, pores, brightness and coloring.

SSKEP (Smart Skin Evaluation Program) is Sony’s own skin analyzing technology which is comprised of back-illuminated CMOS image sensors that achieve high sensitivity and low noise, multiple wavelength light source controls, and skin-analyzing algorithms. The combination of advanced sensing technologies and high-speed image processing technologies will enable the quantitative and multilateral measuring and analysis of various elements of the skin.

Skin analyzing products are currently available in the beauty industry for professional and consumer use but professional products are large and expensive, while consumer products offer limited analyzing capabilities. By incorporating Sony’s newly-developed “SSKEP” skin analyzing technology, manufacturers will be able to commercialize compact products that can easily analyze various elements of the skin.

In general, an important aspect of skin analysis is the ability to examine both the surface layer of the skin, which is readily reachable with visible light, as well as the layers beneath the skin, which are accessible only with near-infrared light. SSKEP optimally controls both the output of multiple wavelength light sources as well as the image capturing process with the CMOS image sensor, to realize highly sensitive photography on and beneath the surface of the skin, thus enabling diverse and highly-accurate skin analysis.

In addition, SSKEP incorporates Sony’s own algorithms which enable quantitative evaluation, pixel-by-pixel analysis and visualization of skin composition through image processing and shape recognition technologies. For example, skin texture can be accurately evaluated by analyzing its shape, volume and direction. Furthermore, pigmentation on and beneath the surface of the skin can be viewed by conducting pixel-by-pixel analysis of melanin in the skin, thus enabling information to be obtained about non-visible skin, including concealed markings and blemishes.

Sony said it anticipates a diverse range of applications for its newly-developed SSKEP technology in various new services and consumer-oriented products across the beauty industry and more.