IT202300009249A1 - Device for examining the roughness of a person's skin using stereo photometry - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Description of the INDUSTRIAL INVENTION entitled:

?Device for examining the roughness of a person's skin using stereo photometry?

Field of application of the invention

The present invention finds application in the fields of dermatology, cosmetics, wellness and aesthetic medicine. The present invention concerns, in particular, both the examination of a person's skin in order to allow a doctor or a qualified operator to express a clinical, aesthetic or functional judgment about it (such as for example the recognition of a pathological condition or the cause of an imperfection), and the monitoring of the skin in order to observe the evolution over time of the physiological conditions of the same possibly in response to a specific treatment.

More precisely, the present invention refers to a device using which a person can both examine the roughness of their skin in order to identify any superficial morphological irregularities, and transmit the results of said examination to a doctor (such as a dermatologist), a beautician or a qualified operator to allow the latter, by way of example, to evaluate and monitor over time the response to one or more dermatological treatments.

Review of known art

As is known, to examine the roughness of a person's skin in a given area of the skin, it is first necessary to acquire a "three-dimensional" image of said skin area. Using known algorithms, starting from the aforementioned three-dimensional image, the height at which the points of the portion of the skin surface being examined are located with respect to a reference level is estimated. On the basis of the aforementioned heights, the value of one or more parameters, also known, concerning the roughness of the skin is calculated. These parameters include, for example, the number, depth, length and irregularity of the edges of the wrinkles.

To acquire a three-dimensional image of the area of skin being examined, the area is imaged from multiple angles, or techniques are used that involve the projection of structured patterns of light that vary over time, as is commonly used in the scanning of three-dimensional objects. The two-dimensional images of the skin thus acquired are processed, with known techniques, in order to generate a three-dimensional image of the area of skin imaged.

Purposes of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for examining the roughness of a person's skin, which constitutes an alternative to known devices of the same type. More precisely, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a device by means of which it is possible to examine the roughness of a person's skin without having to frame the area of skin being examined from multiple angles.

Summary and advantages of the invention

The subject of the invention is a device for conducting an examination of the roughness of a person's skin,

said device comprising:

? a support structure at which said device:

? ? graspable by one person

And

? when grasped by a person, may be brought into contact with the skin of that person at an area of that skin for the purpose of conducting an examination of the skin roughness in that area;

? a camera included in said device such that, when said device is in contact with the skin of a person at said area of skin, said camera is capable of acquiring an image of at least a portion of said area of skin (with said portion of said area of skin corresponding to the field of view of the camera);

? lighting means suitable for emitting light electromagnetic radiation,

said lighting means being included in said device in such a way that,

when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said area of skin and said means of illumination emit said luminous electromagnetic radiation,

said light electromagnetic radiations emitted by said lighting means:

? impact against said area of skin at least in correspondence with said portion of said area of skin (of which said camera is suitable for acquiring an image), i.e. at least in correspondence with the field of vision of the camera

and, after having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion of said skin area,

? impact, at least partially, against the optics of said camera, wherein, according to the invention, said illumination means comprise a plurality of illuminators, preferably a plurality of LEDs, each of which is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiations,

each illuminator of said plurality being included in said device such that,

when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said area of skin and said illuminator emits said light electromagnetic radiation:

? said illuminator lies at a certain distance from said portion of said area of skin,

? said electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator: ? strike said area of skin at least in correspondence with said portion of said area of skin (proceeding) according to at least one incidence vector (i.e. according to at least one incidence direction and in a given direction of incidence, i.e., in other words, at least from a given angle)

and, after having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion of said skin area,

? impact, at least partially, against the optics of said camera,

? said incidence vector of said illuminator has a direction not aligned with (and therefore not coinciding with) that of said incidence vector of each other illuminator of said plurality. Incidentally, in light of what has been said, each illuminator illuminates the area of skin being examined from an angle different from that from which the aforementioned area is illuminated by the other illuminators.

And

? said incidence vectors are distributed radially around said portion of said skin area,

said device further comprising:

? a first control unit connected to said camera and to each illuminator of said plurality,

said first control unit being suitable for controlling:

? an emission of said light electromagnetic radiations by each illuminator of said plurality and, for each illuminator of said plurality, for a given (period of) illumination time

and

? an acquisition, by said camera and for a given (period of) exposure time (preferably 10 ms), of at least one image of said portion of said area of skin illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator and incident on said portion of said area of skin when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said area of skin;

? a first memory suitable for containing, for each illuminator of said plurality, said one or more images of said portion of said area of skin acquireable by said video camera when said portion of said area of skin is illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator,

said first control unit being connected to said first memory and being suitable for storing in said first memory, for each illuminator of said plurality, said one or more images of said portion of said skin area acquireable by said video camera when said portion of said skin area is illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator;

? a processing unit connected to said first memory,

said processing unit (preferably corresponding to a "digital signal processing" unit), through an implementation of one or more stereo photometry algorithms, being suitable for constructing at least one altimetric map of said portion of said skin area starting from said images of said portion of said skin area contained in said first memory,

said elevation map comprising, and preferably consisting of, a matrix in which:

? each element of said matrix corresponds to a point of a surface with which (the external surface of) said portion of said skin area can be schematized

and

? the value assumed by each element of said matrix corresponds to the height, estimated by said processing unit with respect to a predefined reference level, at which the point of said surface corresponding to said element of said matrix is located.

Incidentally, the above one or more stereo photometry algorithms that can be implemented by the processing unit are known. We will therefore not dwell on providing details;

? a second memory suitable for containing said one or more altimetric maps constructible by said processing unit,

said processing unit being connected to said second memory and being capable of storing in said second memory said one or more altimetric maps constructible by said processing unit;

? a second control unit connected to said first control unit, to said processing unit and to said second memory,

said second control unit being suitable for:

? regulate said exposure time of said camera and, for each illuminator of said plurality, said illumination time;

? regulate the values that can be assumed by one or more parameters of said one or more stereo photometry algorithms that can be implemented by said processing unit, so as to regulate, for example, the spatial resolution of the altimetric maps or the accuracy with which the numerical values assumed by the elements of the matrix included in an altimetric map are estimated;

? operate said first control unit and said processing unit such that:

? two illuminators of said plurality do not emit said luminous electromagnetic radiations simultaneously

And

all the illuminators of said plurality emit, in succession, said luminous electromagnetic radiations,

? when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said skin area, at least one image of said portion of said skin area is acquired by said camera and saved in said first memory whenever an illuminator of said plurality emits said luminous electromagnetic radiations

And

? at least one altimetric map of said portion of said skin area is constructed by said processing unit starting from said images of said portion of said skin area contained in said first memory, and stored in said second memory;

And

estimate the morphology of said portion of said skin area by implementing an interpolation procedure on said altimetric map of said portion of said skin area stored in said second memory;

? a third memory suitable for containing the morphology of said portion of said skin area estimable by said second control unit,

said second control unit being connected to said third memory and being suitable for storing in said third memory the morphology of said portion of said skin area estimable by said second control unit; ? connection means suitable for establishing a connection between said device and an electronic device (preferably a smartphone) for the retransmission of data, preferably by means of radio frequency electromagnetic waves, between said second control unit and said device, when said device is connected to said device via said connection means, said second control unit being suitable for ? transmitting to said device the morphology of said portion of said skin area stored in said third memory

and to

? receive from said apparatus commands to operate said first control unit and said processing unit.

The device which is the subject of the invention, by means of the plurality of illuminators, allows the roughness of a person's skin to be examined without having to frame the area of skin being examined from multiple angles, but rather by framing the area of skin being examined from a single angle and illuminating said area from multiple angles.

By means of the connection means, the device of the invention can also transmit the morphology of the area of skin being examined (as estimated by the second control unit) for example to a smartphone in which a specific application (so-called "app") is installed with which the aforementioned morphology can be illustrated to a user of the smartphone (for example by showing and/or communicating altimetric values of the skin surface) and possibly shared with a dermatologist or with a qualified operator. The aforementioned application can also show the temporal trend of the morphology of the skin. Finally, it is preferably by means of said application that the aforementioned user can give commands to the device.

Other innovative features of the present invention are illustrated in the following description and referred to in the dependent claims.

According to one aspect of the invention, in said plurality of illuminators there is one or more groups of illuminators of said plurality, each of which comprises multiple illuminators of said plurality,

for each of said groups of illuminators, the illuminators belonging to said group:

? being included in said device such that, when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said skin area, said incidence vectors of the illuminators belonging to said group respectively are distributed radially around said portion of said skin area

and

? being arranged next to each other so as to describe a closed path, preferably a ring (i.e. in such a way that, by schematizing each illuminator belonging to said group with a point, from an interpolation of the points schematizing said illuminators a closed line preferably corresponding to a circumference can be obtained).

According to another aspect of the invention, for each of said groups of illuminators, the illuminators belonging to said group are substantially coplanar with each other (i.e., by schematizing with a point each illuminator belonging to said group, the points respectively schematizing said illuminators lie on the same plane).

According to another aspect of the invention, at least one illuminator of said plurality

? does not belong to any of the said groups of illuminators

and

? ? closer to the optics of said camera than each other illuminator of said plurality.

According to this aspect of the invention, one of the illuminators is very close to the camera and consequently very distant from the area of skin being examined when the device is applied to a person's skin. This advantageously allows for substantially complete illumination of (and consequently acquisition of an overall image of) the area of skin being examined.

According to another aspect of the invention, in said plurality of illuminators there are present at least a first and a second (group) of said groups of illuminators, the illuminators belonging to said first group lying substantially on a first plane,

the illuminators belonging to the said second group lying substantially on a second plane,

said first and second planes being mutually parallel.

Incidentally, the planes on which the illuminators belonging to the first and second groups respectively lie could coincide. In that case, if the illuminators of each of the two groups are arranged in a ring, the two rings respectively corresponding to the two groups of illuminators are preferably substantially concentric.

According to another aspect of the invention, said device comprises at least one polarizing filter

? at least one illuminator of said plurality, such that, when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said skin area and said illuminator emits said luminous electromagnetic radiations, said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator impinge on said skin area at least at said portion after having undergone polarization by said polarizing filter

and/or

? in correspondence with said camera, such that, when said device is in contact with the skin of said person in correspondence with said area of skin, said light electromagnetic radiations,

when emitted by an illuminator of said plurality and after having struck said skin area at least at said portion of said skin area and having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion of said skin area,

strike the optics of said camera after having undergone polarization by said polarizing filter.

Advantageously, the use of one or more polarizing filters allows you to suppress unwanted effects of the reflection of light electromagnetic radiation by the skin.

According to another aspect of the invention, at least one illuminator of said plurality is adapted to emit said light electromagnetic radiations in such a way that said light electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator are at least one wavelength different from the wavelength, or wavelengths if more than one, at which another illuminator of said plurality is adapted to emit said light electromagnetic radiations.

Advantageously, by illuminating the area of skin being examined with luminous electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths, it is more likely that some morphological irregularities of the skin will be identified (and therefore it is more unlikely that they will not be reproduced in the morphology of the aforementioned skin area estimated by the second control unit) which are difficult to identify by always illuminating the skin area being examined at the same wavelength. According to another aspect of the invention, at least one illuminator of said plurality is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiation in such a way that said luminous electromagnetic radiation emitted by said illuminator is coherent.

Advantageously, by illuminating the area of skin being examined with coherent electromagnetic radiation, it is easier for the second control unit to capture morphological aspects of the skin that are difficult to capture by illuminating the area of skin being examined with non-coherent electromagnetic radiation.

According to another aspect of the invention, said device includes at least one light guide comprising a seat accessible through an input surface and an output surface opposite said input surface, said seat extending from said input surface to said output surface,

said light guide being connected, at said input surface, to an illuminator of said plurality such that said light electromagnetic radiations, when emitted by said illuminator to which said light guide is connected, enter said seat through said input surface, travel through said seat toward said output surface and exit from said seat through said output surface,

said light guide being included in said device such that, when said device is in contact with the skin of said person at said skin area and said illuminator of said plurality to which said light guide is connected emits said light electromagnetic radiation, said light electromagnetic radiation exits from said location, through said exit surface, substantially tangentially to said portion of said skin area at said exit surface.

Incidentally, if there were no light guide, the electromagnetic radiation emitted by an illuminator could not be tangent to the skin area being examined since all the illuminators lie at a certain distance from that area when the device is in contact with the skin.

Advantageously, by illuminating the area of skin being examined with grazing radiation, it is possible to capture morphological aspects of the skin that could not be captured by illuminating the aforementioned area of skin with radiation propagating towards the area of skin that is not tangential to the latter.

According to another aspect of the invention, said second memory is suitable for containing multiple altimetric maps constructed by said processing unit at respective (different) instants of time,

if (and when) said second memory contains at least two altimetric maps respectively constructed by said processing unit at a first and a second instant of time, said second control unit being suitable for:

? try to calculate the covariance or correlation in two dimensions between said two altimetric maps respectively constructed by said processing unit in said first and second instants of time

and, if it succeeds in calculating said covariance or correlation in two dimensions, to ? store in said third memory the maximum covariance or correlation in two dimensions calculated by said second control unit?

The maximum two-dimensional covariance or correlation calculated by the second control unit is a vector that is an estimate of the displacement of the device along the skin between the first and second time points. According to this aspect of the invention, when the device is moved by the user while in contact with the skin, the device is advantageously suited to calculate the vector of said displacement along the skin. The underlying principle is identical to that of the operation of an optical mouse. According to another aspect of the invention, said device comprises means connected to said second control unit and suited to communicate, for example by emitting visual and/or acoustic signals, to a user of said device when the latter is in contact with the skin of said person at said area of skin, whenever said video camera is acquiring an image of said portion of said area of skin.

Advantageously, according to this aspect of the invention, a user of the device knows when the camera is acquiring an image of the skin and consequently knows when to remain as still as possible.

According to another aspect of the invention, said second control unit is also suitable for:

? calculate, starting from said altimetric map of said portion of said skin area stored in said second memory and through an implementation of one or more known algorithms, the values assumed by one or more known skin parameters (such as for example skin age or a skin smoothness index) for said portion of said skin area;

? store in said third memory the values that can be assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, calculable by said second control unit,

said third memory being therefore suitable to also contain the values that can be assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, calculable by said second control unit,

when said device is connected to said apparatus by means of said connecting means, said second control unit being suitable for also transmitting to said apparatus the values assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, stored in said third memory.

According to another aspect of the invention, said second control unit is also connected to said first memory,

when said device is connected to said apparatus by means of said connecting means, said second control unit being suitable for also transmitting to said apparatus said one or more images stored in said first memory.

According to another aspect of the invention, when said device is connected to said apparatus by means of said connecting means, said second control unit is suitable for transmitting to said apparatus also said one or more altimetric maps stored in said second memory.

Brief description of the figures

Further purposes and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of examples of its embodiment and from the attached drawings, given purely for explanatory and non-limiting purposes, in which:

? Figure 1 shows, schematically, a device according to the present invention;

? figure 2 shows, schematically, some components of a first variant of the device in figure 1;

? Figure 3 shows, schematically, some components of a second variant of the device in Figure 1.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the invention

In the following description, a figure may also be illustrated with reference to elements not expressly indicated in that figure but in other figures. The scale and proportions of the various elements depicted do not necessarily correspond to the real ones.

Figure 1 shows a device 1, the subject of the invention, for conducting an examination of the roughness of the skin 2 of a person. The device 1 comprises a structure at which the device 1 can be grasped by a person so that it can be brought into contact with the skin 2 of said person in correspondence with an area of said skin 2 and with the purpose of conducting, by means of the device 1, an examination of the skin roughness in said area.

The device 1 comprises a camera 3 oriented (and therefore included in the device 1) in such a way that, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with an area of said skin 2, the camera 3 can acquire an image of at least a portion 4 of said area of skin 2 corresponding (said portion 4) to the field of vision of the camera 3. The device 1 also comprises a plurality of illuminators 5 (included in the previously mentioned ?illumination means?), each of which is suitable for emitting light electromagnetic radiation. Each of the illuminators 5, preferably corresponding to an LED, is oriented (i.e. is ... in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with an area of said skin 2 and said illuminator 5 emits luminous electromagnetic radiations, the latter incident on the aforementioned area of skin 2 at least in correspondence with the portion 4 according to at least a given incidence vector 6 and, after having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion 4, incident (the luminous electromagnetic radiations) on the optics of the camera 3. Each illuminator 5 is also included in the device 1 in such a way that, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with the aforementioned area of skin 2, said illuminator 5 lies at a given distance from the portion 4. The incidence vectors 6, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with the aforementioned area of skin 2, said illuminator 5 lies at a given distance from the portion 4. in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with the aforementioned skin area 2, are distributed radially around the portion 4. The incidence vector 6 of each illuminator 5 also has a direction that is not aligned with that of the incidence vector 6 of every other illuminator 5.

The illuminators 5 are preferably arranged next to each other so as to describe a closed path 7, preferably a ring. More preferably, the device 1 comprises two or more groups of illuminators 5 (each of which includes multiple illuminators 5, i.e. more than one illuminator 5) such that the illuminators 5 belonging to the same group are arranged next to each other so as to describe a closed path, preferably a ring. Incidentally, for each of the aforementioned two or more groups of illuminators 5, the incidence vectors 6 of the illuminators 5 belonging to said group, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 of a person in correspondence with the aforementioned skin area 2, are distributed radially around the portion 4. In the figure, the aforementioned groups of illuminators 5 are shown by way of example in a number equal to two. The closed path described by the 5 illuminators belonging to one of the two groups is, as previously stated, marked by the reference number 7. The closed path described by the 5 illuminators belonging to the other group is marked by the reference number 8.

The illuminators 5 belonging to the same of the two or more groups mentioned above are preferably between ten and thirty in number, are preferably substantially coplanar and are preferably substantially equidistant from each other (i.e., within the same of the two or more groups of illuminators 5, the distance between an illuminator 5 and the illuminator 5 immediately preceding or immediately consecutive in the succession of illuminators 5 is preferably the same for all illuminators 5). The planes on which the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same of the two or more groups mentioned above preferably and substantially lie are preferably mutually parallel and are at a mutual distance preferably between 10 mm and 15 mm. Schematizing with a plane the area (of skin 2) in correspondence with which the device 1 can be in contact with the skin 2 of a person for carrying out a roughness test, the following results can be obtained: skin in said area, the planes on which preferably and substantially lie the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same of the two or more aforementioned groups? are, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned area, preferably parallel to said plane schematizing said skin area 2. The distance between said plane schematizing said skin area 2 and the plane closest to the skin among those on which preferably and substantially lie the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same of the two or more aforementioned groups? is, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned area, preferably between 20 mm and 30 mm. The distance between said plane schematizing said skin area 2 and the plane furthest from the skin among those on which preferably and substantially lie the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same of the two or more aforementioned groups? is, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned area, preferably between 30 mm and 40 mm.

In addition to what has been said, schematizing each of the paths 7 and 8 with a circumference, the radius of each of said circumferences is preferably between 20 mm and 30 mm, and the centers of said circumferences preferably lie on a straight line arranged orthogonally to the planes on which the circumferences lie. Said straight line (passing through the centers of the circumferences as which the paths described by the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same aforementioned groups can be schematized) preferably passes through the optics of the camera 3 (and is, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned area, preferably substantially orthogonal to the plane schematizing said area of skin 2).

Alternatively to what has been said, the planes on which preferably and substantially lie the illuminators 5 respectively belonging to the same of the aforementioned two or more groups could coincide. In this case, schematizing each of the paths 7 and 8 with a circumference, said circumferences would be concentric.

Device 1 may comprise an illuminator 5 not belonging to any of the aforementioned groups of illuminators 5, and placed in proximity to the optics of the camera 3 (i.e. closer to the optics of the camera 3 than any other illuminator 5).

Preferably, the illuminators 5 are suitable for emitting light electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths. More precisely, at least one illuminator 5 is suitable for emitting light electromagnetic radiation at at least one wavelength different from the wavelength, or wavelengths if more than one, at which another illuminator 5 is suitable for emitting light electromagnetic radiation. In addition or as an alternative to this, at least one illuminator 5 is suitable for emitting coherent light electromagnetic radiation.

The device 1 comprises a first control unit 9 connected to the camera 3 and to each illuminator 5. The unit 9 is suitable for controlling an emission of luminous electromagnetic radiation by each illuminator 5 and for a given (period of) illumination time. The unit 9 is also suitable for controlling, whenever the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned skin area 2 and an illuminator 5 emits luminous electromagnetic radiation incident on the portion 4 of said skin area 2, an acquisition, by the camera 3 and for a given (period of) exposure time, of at least one image of the portion 4 of said skin area 2.

The unit 9 is connected to a first memory 10 suitable for containing, for each illuminator 5, one or more images of the aforementioned portion 4 of said skin area 2 (when illuminated by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by said illuminator 5). The unit 9 is suitable for storing in the memory 10 the aforementioned one or more images of the portion 4 of said skin area 2.

The device 1 also comprises a processing unit 11, preferably corresponding to a "digital signal processing" unit, connected to the memory 10. The unit 11, by implementing one or more stereo photometry algorithms, is suitable for constructing at least one altimetric map of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 starting from the images of said portion 4 contained in the memory 10. The altimetric map comprises, and preferably consists of, a matrix in which each element of said matrix corresponds to a point of a surface with which the portion 4 of said skin area 2 can be schematized, and the value assumed by each element of the matrix corresponds to the height, estimated by the unit 11 with respect to a predefined reference level, of the point of the aforementioned surface to which said element of the matrix corresponds. The unit 11 is connected to a second memory 12 suitable for containing one or more altimetric maps constructible by the unit 11. The latter is suitable for storing one or more of the above-mentioned altimetric maps in memory 12.

Device 1 comprises a second control unit 13 connected to unit 9, unit 11 and memory 12. Unit 13 is suitable for regulating the exposure time of camera 3 and the illumination time of each illuminator 5. Unit 13 is also suitable for regulating the values that can be assumed by one or more parameters of the stereo photometry algorithms that can be implemented by unit 11 so as to regulate, for example, the spatial resolution of the altimetric maps or the accuracy with which the numerical values assumed by the elements of the matrix included in an altimetric map are estimated. Unit 13 is also suitable for operating units 9 and 11 in such a way that: two illuminators 5 do not emit light electromagnetic radiation at the same time and all illuminators 5 emit, in succession, light electromagnetic radiation; camera 3, when device 1 is switched on, is not activated. in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned area, acquires at least one image of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 each time an illuminator 5 emits light electromagnetic radiation and the unit 9 stores said image in the memory 10; and the unit 11 constructs an altimetric map of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 starting from the images contained in the memory 10 and stores said altimetric map in the memory 12. The unit 13 is finally suitable for estimating the morphology of the aforementioned portion 4 of said skin area 2 by implementing an interpolation procedure on the altimetric map stored in the memory 12.

The unit 13 is connected to a third memory 17 suitable for containing the morphology of the aforementioned portion 4 of said skin area 2 which can be estimated by the unit 13. The latter is suitable for storing in the memory 17 the aforementioned morphology of the portion 4 of said skin area 2.

The device 1 comprises suitable components 14 (included in the previously mentioned "connection means") by means of which it is possible to establish a connection between the device 1 and an electronic device 15 (preferably corresponding to a smartphone) for the retransmission of data between the unit 13 and the device 15. The components 14 preferably include an antenna and the retransmission of data between the unit 13 and the device 15 preferably takes place by means of radio frequency electromagnetic waves. When the device 1 is connected to the device 15 by means of the components 14, the unit 13 is suitable for transmitting to the device 15 the morphology of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 stored in the memory 17, and for receiving from the device 15 commands to operate the units 9 and 11.

In light of the above, the device 1, through the illuminators 5, allows the roughness of a person's skin to be examined without having to frame the area of skin being examined from multiple angles, but rather by framing the area of skin being examined from a single angle and illuminating said area from multiple angles.

The unit 13 is preferably suitable for calculating, starting from the altimetric map of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 stored in the memory 12 and by implementing one or more known algorithms, also the values assumed by one or more known skin parameters (such as for example the age of the skin or a skin smoothness index) for the portion 4 of said skin area 2. The unit 13 is also preferably suitable for storing in the memory 17 the values assumed by said parameters. The memory 17 is therefore preferably suitable for also containing the values that can be assumed by the aforementioned one or more known skin parameters, calculable by the unit 13. When the device 1 is connected to the apparatus 15 via the components 14, the unit 13 is preferably suitable for transmitting to the apparatus 15 the values assumed by the aforementioned one or more known skin parameters. known skin parameters, stored in memory 17.

The unit 13 is preferably also connected to the memory 10 (as shown in figure 1) and, when the device 1 is connected to the device 15 via the components 14, it is preferably suitable for also transmitting to the device 15 the images of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 stored in the memory 10.

When the device 1 is connected to the device 15 via the components 14, the unit 13 is preferably suitable for also transmitting to the device 15 the altimetric maps of the portion 4 of said skin area 2 stored in the memory 12.

Memory 12 is preferably suitable for containing multiple altimetric maps constructed by unit 11 at respective instants of time. More precisely, if (and when) memory 12 contains at least two altimetric maps constructed by unit 12 at a first and a second instant of time, unit 13 is preferably suitable for attempting to calculate the covariance or correlation in two dimensions between said two altimetric maps (constructed by unit 11 at the aforementioned first and second instants of time, respectively) and, if it succeeds in calculating said covariance or correlation in two dimensions, to store in memory 17 the maximum covariance or correlation in two dimensions calculated by unit 13. Said maximum covariance or correlation in two dimensions is a vector that constitutes the estimate of the displacement undergone by device 1, on skin 2, between the aforementioned first and second instants of time.

The device 1 preferably comprises one or more visual and/or acoustic indicators 16 preferably connected to the unit 13 and through which the device 1 is suitable to communicate to a user of the same, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with the previously mentioned area, whenever the camera 3 is acquiring an image of the portion 4 of said area of skin 2.

According to a variant of the device 1, shown in figure 2, the latter preferably comprises at least one polarizing filter 18. The filter 18 is preferably placed in correspondence with at least one illuminator 5 so that, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with said skin area 2 and said illuminator 5 emits luminous electromagnetic radiation, the latter strikes said skin area 2 in correspondence with the portion 4 after having undergone polarization by the aforementioned filter 18. As visible in figure 2, preferably all the illuminators 5 are equipped with a filter 18. In addition or as an alternative to what has been said, the (or another) filter 18 can be placed in correspondence with the video camera 3 so that, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with said skin area 2 and said illuminator 5 emits luminous electromagnetic radiation, the latter strikes said skin area 2 in correspondence with the portion 4 after having undergone polarization by the aforementioned filter 18. in contact with the skin 2 in correspondence with said skin area 2 and an illuminator 5 emits luminous electromagnetic radiation, the latter, after having struck said skin area 2 in correspondence with the portion 4 and having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by the portion 4, strike the optics of the camera 3 after having undergone polarization by the filter 18.

According to another variant of the device 1, shown in figure 3, the latter comprises at least one light guide 19, such as an optical fibre, including a seat accessible through an input surface and an output surface opposite said input surface. The seat of the light guide 19 extends from the aforementioned input surface to the aforementioned output surface. The light guide 19, at the input surface, is connected to an illuminator 5 in such a way that the electromagnetic light radiation, when emitted by said illuminator 5 (to which the light guide 19 is connected), enters the seat of the light guide 19 through the input surface, travels through said seat towards the output surface and exits from said seat through the output surface. The light guide 19 is oriented in such a way that, when the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2 at the aforementioned area and the illuminator 5 to which it is connected, the ... connected the light guide 19 emits light electromagnetic radiation, the latter exiting from the seat of the light guide 19, through the exit surface, substantially tangentially to the portion 4 of said skin area 2 in correspondence with the aforementioned exit surface. As visible in figure 3, in which the device 1 is in contact with the skin 2, among the illuminators 5 included in the device 1, preferably all the illuminators 5 arranged one next to the other so as to describe the path 7 are connected to respective light guides 19. The latter are preferably shaped like an “L” and are respectively connected to the illuminators 5 in correspondence with the long arm of the “L”. Said long arm is preferably substantially orthogonal to the skin 2 when the device 1 is in contact with the latter.

As previously mentioned, the electronic device 15 preferably corresponds to a smartphone by means of which a person can interact with the device 1 (to give commands to the latter and to display the morphology of the skin area being examined, estimated by the unit 13). Alternatively to this and as shown in figure 4, the device 15 could correspond to a device suitable for carrying out dermatological imaging. As is known, dermatological imaging devices are devices that evaluate the condition of the skin of a relatively large area of the body, such as the face, as well as the presence of any blemishes or situations that could lead to the onset of the latter (such as, for example, the excessive presence of sebaceous secretions and the presence of spots visible exclusively in ultraviolet light). Since dermatological imaging devices are substantially known, we will not dwell on providing further details.

Unfortunately, dermatological imaging devices are not optimal for making a precise and repeatable assessment of the presence and severity of wrinkles in specific areas of the skin, such as for example near the eyes. Device 1 can advantageously overcome this disadvantage. More precisely, dermatological imaging devices, such as the device 15 according to the present example, generally comprise a monitor 20 by means of which the images acquired and processed by the device (dermatological imaging) and other useful information are displayed to the operator of said device (dermatological imaging). Whenever the device 15 detects the presence of wrinkles in specific areas of the skin, it could signal this to the operator via monitor 20 and "invite" the operator to use device 1 by positioning it, one by one, on said specific areas of the skin, in order to examine them with greater precision and reproducibility. Similarly to what was said in the case in which the device 15 is, for example, a smartphone, in the case in which the device 15 is a dermatological imaging device, via the components 14, the device 1 is suitable for transmitting the morphology of a skin area being examined (as estimated by the unit 13) to the device 15 so that the aforementioned morphology, and possibly the temporal trend of the latter, can be displayed on the monitor 20. It is also via the device 15 that the operator of the latter, preferably, gives commands to the device 1.

In light of the above, device 1 can be configured in all respects as a peripheral of a dermatological imaging device corresponding to apparatus 15.

Based on the description provided for a preferred embodiment, it is obvious that some changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (14)

1. Device (1) for conducting an examination of the roughness of the skin (2) of a person, said device (1) comprising: ? a support structure at which said device (1): ? ? can be grasped by a person And ? when grasped by a person, it can be brought into contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with an area of said skin (2) for the conduct of an examination of the skin roughness in said area; ? a camera (3) included in said device (1) such that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2), said camera (3) is suitable for acquiring an image of at least a portion (4) of said area of skin (2); ? lighting means (5) suitable for emitting luminous electromagnetic radiation, said lighting means (5) being included in said device (1) in such a way that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2) and said means of illumination (5) emit said luminous electromagnetic radiations, said light electromagnetic radiations emitted by said lighting means (5): ? impact against said area of skin (2) at least in correspondence with said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) and, after having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion (4) of said skin area (2), ? impact, at least partially, against the optics of said camera (3), said device (1) being characterised by the fact that said illumination means comprise a plurality of illuminators (5) each of which is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiations, each illuminator (5) of said plurality being included in said device (1) in such a way that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2) and said illuminator (5) emits said light electromagnetic radiations: ? said illuminator (5) lies at a certain distance from said portion (4) of said skin area (2), ? said electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5): ? strike said area of skin (2) at least in correspondence with said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) according to at least one incidence vector (6) and, after having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion (4) of said skin area (2), ? impact, at least partially, against the optics of said camera (3), ? said incidence vector (6) of said illuminator (5) has a direction not aligned with that of said incidence vector (6) of each other illuminator (5) of said plurality And ? said incidence vectors (6) are distributed radially around said portion (4) of said skin area (2), said device (1) further comprising: ? a first control unit (9) connected to said camera (3) and to each illuminator (5) of said plurality, said first control unit (9) being suitable to control: ? an emission of said light electromagnetic radiations by each illuminator (5) of said plurality and, for each illuminator (5) of said plurality, for a given illumination time and ? an acquisition, by said camera (3) and for a given exposure time, of at least one image of said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5) and incident on said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2); ? a first memory (10) suitable for containing, for each illuminator (5) of said plurality, said one or more images of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) acquireable by said video camera (3) when said portion (4) of said skin area is illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5), said first control unit (9) being connected to said first memory (10) and being suitable for storing in said first memory (10), for each illuminator (5) of said plurality, said one or more images of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) acquireable by said video camera (3) when said portion (4) of said skin area (2) is illuminated by said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5); ? a processing unit (11) connected to said first memory (10), said processing unit (11), through an implementation of one or more stereo photometry algorithms, being suitable for constructing at least one altimetric map of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) starting from said images of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) contained in said first memory (10), said altimetric map comprising a matrix in which: ? each element of said matrix corresponds to a point of a surface with which said portion (4) of said skin area (2) can be schematized and ? the value assumed by each element of said matrix corresponds to the height, estimated by said processing unit (11) with respect to a predefined reference level, at which the point of said surface corresponding to said element of said matrix is located; ? a second memory (12) suitable for containing said one or more altimetric maps constructible by said processing unit (11), said processing unit (11) being connected to said second memory (12) and being suitable for storing in said second memory (12) said one or more altimetric maps constructible by said processing unit (11); ? a second control unit (13) connected to said first control unit (9), to said processing unit (11) and to said second memory (12), said second control unit (13) being suitable for: ? regulate said exposure time of said camera (3) and, for each illuminator (5) of said plurality, said illumination time; ? regulate the values respectively assumeable by one or more parameters of said one or more stereo photometry algorithms implementable by said processing unit (11); ? operate said first control unit (9) and said processing unit (11) in such a way that: ? two illuminators (5) of said plurality do not emit said luminous electromagnetic radiations simultaneously And all the illuminators (5) of said plurality emit, in succession, said luminous electromagnetic radiations, ? when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2), at least one image of said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) is acquired by said camera (3) and saved in said first memory (10) whenever an illuminator (5) of said plurality emits said luminous electromagnetic radiations And ? at least one altimetric map of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) is constructed by said processing unit (11) starting from said images of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) contained in said first memory (10), and is stored in said second memory (12) And estimate the morphology of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) by implementing an interpolation procedure on said altimetric map of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) stored in said second memory (12); ? a third memory (17) suitable for containing the morphology of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) estimable by said second control unit (13), said second control unit (13) being connected to said third memory (17) and being suitable for storing in said third memory (17) the morphology of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) estimable by said second control unit (13); ? connecting means (14) suitable for establishing a connection between said device (1) and an electronic device (15) for the transmission and reception of data between said second control unit (13) and said device (15), when said device (1) is connected to said device (15) via said connecting means (14), said second control unit (13) being suitable for ? transmit to said device (15) the morphology of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) stored in said third memory (17) and to ? receive from said apparatus (15) commands to operate said first control unit (9) and said processing unit (11). 2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that, in said plurality of illuminators (5) there is one or more groups of illuminators (5) of said plurality, each of which comprises multiple illuminators (5) of said plurality, for each of said groups of illuminators (5), the illuminators (5) belonging to said group: ? being included in said device (1) in such a way that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2), said incidence vectors (6) respectively of the illuminators (5) belonging to said group are distributed radially around said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) and ? being arranged next to each other so as to describe a closed path (7, 8). 3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that, for each of said groups of illuminators (5), the illuminators (5) belonging to said group are substantially coplanar with each other. 4. Device (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that at least one illuminator (5) of said plurality ? does not belong to any of the said groups of illuminators (5) and ? ? closer to the optics of said camera (3) than each other illuminator (5) of said plurality. 5. Device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that, in said plurality of illuminators (5) there are at least a first and a second of said groups of illuminators (5), the illuminators (5) belonging to the said first group lying substantially on a first plane, the illuminators (5) belonging to the said second group lying substantially on a second plane, said first and second planes being mutually parallel. 6. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least one polarising filter (18) ? in correspondence with at least one illuminator (5) of said plurality, such that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2) and said illuminator (5) emits said luminous electromagnetic radiations, said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5) strike said area of skin (2) at least in correspondence with said portion (4) after having undergone polarization by said polarizing filter (18) and/or ? in correspondence with said camera (3), such that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2), said luminous electromagnetic radiations, when emitted by an illuminator (5) of said plurality and after having struck said area of skin (2) at least in correspondence with said portion (4) of said area of skin (2) and having been at least partially reflected and/or dispersed by said portion (4) of said area of skin (2), strike the optics of said camera (3) after having undergone polarization by said polarizing filter (18). 7. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one illuminator (5) of said plurality is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiations in such a way that said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5) are at least one wavelength different from the wavelength, or wavelengths if more than one, at which another illuminator (5) of said plurality is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiations. 8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one illuminator (5) of said plurality is suitable for emitting said luminous electromagnetic radiations in such a way that said luminous electromagnetic radiations emitted by said illuminator (5) are coherent. 9. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it includes at least one light guide (19) comprising a seat accessible through an input surface and an output surface opposite said input surface, said seat extending from said input surface to said output surface, said light guide (19) being connected, at said input surface, to an illuminator (5) of said plurality in such a way that said light electromagnetic radiations, when emitted by said illuminator (5) to which said light guide (19) is connected, enter said seat through said input surface, travel through said seat towards said output surface and exit from said seat through said output surface, said light guide (19) being included in said device (1) in such a way that, when said device (1) is in contact with the skin (2) of said person at said area of skin (2) and said illuminator (5) of said plurality to which said light guide (19) is connected emits said luminous electromagnetic radiations, said light electromagnetic radiations exit from said location, through said exit surface, substantially tangentially to said portion (4) of said skin area (2) in correspondence with said exit surface. 10. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second memory (12) is suitable for containing multiple altimetric maps constructed by said processing unit (11) at respective instants of time, if said second memory (12) contains at least two altimetric maps respectively constructed by said processing unit (11) in a first and a second instant of time, said second control unit (13) being suitable for: ? trying to calculate the covariance or correlation in two dimensions between said two altimetric maps respectively constructed by said processing unit (11) in said first and second instant of time and, if it succeeds in calculating said covariance or correlation in two dimensions, to ? store in said third memory (17) the maximum covariance or correlation in two dimensions calculated by said second control unit (13). 11. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises means (16) connected to said second control unit (13) and suitable for communicating to a user of said device (1), when the latter is in contact with the skin (2) of said person in correspondence with said area of skin (2), whenever said camera (3) is acquiring an image of said portion (4) of said area of skin (2). 12. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second control unit (13) is also suitable for: ? calculate, starting from said altimetric map of said portion (4) of said skin area (2) stored in said second memory (12) and by means of an implementation of one or more known algorithms, the values assumed by one or more known skin parameters for said portion (4) of said skin area (2); ? storing in said third memory (17) the values that can be assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, calculable by said second control unit (13), said third memory (17) being therefore suitable to also contain the values that can be assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, calculable by said second control unit (13), when said device (1) is connected to said apparatus (15) by means of said connecting means (14), said second control unit (13) being suitable for transmitting to said apparatus (15) also the values assumed by said one or more known skin parameters, stored in said third memory (17). 13. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second control unit (13) is also connected to said first memory (10), when said device (1) is connected to said apparatus (15) by means of said connecting means (14), said second control unit (13) being suitable for transmitting to said apparatus (15) also said one or more images stored in said first memory (10). 14. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second control unit (13), when said device (1) is connected to said apparatus (15) via said connection means (14), is suitable for transmitting to said apparatus (15) also said one or more altimetric maps stored in said second memory (12).