Patent Picks—Wearable, Digitized Skin Care and UV Protection

Patent Picks are compiled by the editors from publicly available sources. This edition features inventions related to digitized skin care.

Wearable and wireless skin care
WO/2015/126988
Publication date: Aug. 27, 2015
Assignee: Tria Beauty, Inc.

According to this patent, there is a lack of objective feedback for consumers in terms of the effectiveness of particular radiation-based skin treatments used at home, i.e., lasers, LEDs, flashlamps, etc. Also, known commercial Internet-connected health related devices, e.g., activity wrist bands (Fitbit, FuelBand), WiFi blood pressure monitors, and WiFi scales mainly are designed for diagnostic purposes.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides an Internet-enabled skin care device that combines treatment with individualized results feedback and routine optimization suggestions. Further, with repeated treatment regimens, each subsequent treatment thus can be evaluated and adjusted based on results from the previous effort.

Specifically described here is a smart skin sensor that can track and correlate skin treatments with their final results. The system includes a handheld treatment device, a treatment radiation source to deliver a dermatological treatment, and skin sensor(s) configured to generate signals indicative of one or more skin properties.

Digitized makeup remover for facial recognition, product appropriateness
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/127394
Publication date: Aug. 27, 2015
Assignee: Northeastern University

Cosmetics are used to hide facial flaws and appear more attractive but pose a significant challenge to biometric systems. This problem has attracted tremendous research over the past decade. In relation, research on makeup recommendation systems has increased; however, existing systems are limited in that they can only recommend styles for faces not currently wearing makeup.

Therefore, described herein is a system and method to detect, analyze and digitally remove makeup from the image of a face. Provided with a digital image, the system segments the image into regions or patches such as the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, lips and remaining skin; analyzes each patch; then the makeup is categorized and deconstructed to recreate the face without makeup.

After being located, the cosmetics can be analyzed, either separately or as a whole, to determine: a category in which the cosmetic falls, i.e., daily makeup, theater makeup, etc.; the skill level with which the cosmetics have been applied; and/or whether the cosmetics are suitable for the person's age and characteristics.

Wearable UV radiation detector
U.S. Patent Application 20150241273
Publication date: Aug. 27, 2015
Inventors: S Aslam and K Edgett

According to these inventors, there is a need for a UVA and UVB radiation monitoring aid that can be used on a daily basis to provide the user with information about their duration of sun exposure—irrespective of the user's skin type, season and other atmospheric conditions. In response, this patent discloses a wearable radiation detector system.

The system comprises a radiation collection unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the light collected; a memory component; a display unit; and a processor that can receive the signal and store it. The display is used to indicate the corresponding output signal to continually calculate the maximum UV exposure level based on the light received from the radiation collection unit.

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