Apparatus and method to evaluate hydration of the skin or the mucous membranes

• US 20040171962A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Giron, Franck, Querleux, Bernard, Leveque, Jean-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 7,402,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water

Abstract

An apparatus enabling a person to evaluate the hydration of a region of the skin or the mucous membranes. The apparatus includes a sensor including an array of non-optical detection cells and processor apparatus arranged to deliver at least one piece of information relating to the hydration of the region on the basis of signals coming from the sensor. A method for evaluation of hydration is also provided. The apparatus and method can also be used for evaluating, e.g., aging or the effectiveness of a treatment regimen.

Claims

1. An apparatus enabling a person to evaluate the hydration of a region of the body with the region including at least one of a region of the skin and a region of mucous membranes, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor comprising an array of non-optical detection cells, and

a processor apparatus arranged to deliver at least one piece of information relating to hydration of the region based on signals coming from said sensor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is delivered in the form of at least one of a visual image, a visual message, and an audio message.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-optical detection cells comprise capacitive detection cells.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor presents spatial resolution of at least 100 μ

m in at least one direction.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sensor presents spatial resolution of at least 50 μ

m in at least one direction.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array is two-dimensional.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to deliver at least one image of the region analyzed by the sensor.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to analyze variation in hydration over time with the sensor in place on the region under analysis.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is arranged to determine information relating to tendency to transpire of an individual under examination based on variation of hydration over time.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor apparatus is arranged to perform statistical processing of said image, and wherein said information results at least from said statistical processing.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the statistical processing comprises determining a gray level shared by a greatest number of pixels in the image.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises an indication relating to uniformity of hydration.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein mean gray levels of subsets of the image are determined and a value is calculated that is representative of a difference between said mean gray levels.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the subsets of the image are non-intersecting.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the value is a standard deviation.

16. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the subsets of the image are formed by a rectangular grid over at least a portion of the image.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the subsets of the image are disposed in an irregular manner over the image.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is arranged to compare the image with images in a bank of images, and at least on the basis of the comparison, to derive information that is useful for evaluating a state of at least one of the skin and a mucous membrane.

19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to deliver an indication relating to a state of aging of the skin.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processing apparatus is arranged to determine two major directions of skin lines and a difference that exists between said directions.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus is arranged to deliver an indication relating to the state of aging of the skin from said difference.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to enable the sensor to analyze said region for a predefined duration.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the predefined duration lies in the range of from about 1 second to about 30 seconds.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the predefined duration lies in the range of from about 2 seconds to 10 seconds.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the predefined duration lies in the range of from about 3 seconds to 7 seconds.

26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises more than 200×

200 capacitive detection cells.

27. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array of capacitive detection cells occupies an area lying in the range from about 10 mm×

10 mm to about 20 mm×

20 mm.

28. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to exchange data with at least one of a personal computer and a portable terminal.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the apparatus is arranged to exchange data with a mobile telephone.

30. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including at least one second sensor of a different type than said sensor comprising an array of non-optical detection cells.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of a biosensor, a sensor of conductivity, a temperature sensor, a color sensor, an elasticity sensor and a pH sensor.

32. A method of evaluating the hydration of a region, the region including at least one of a non-dermatoglyphic region of the skin and a mucous membrane, the method comprising:

applying a sensor to said region, said sensor comprising an array of non-optical detection cells; and

picking up signals coming from said sensor and, on the basis of said signals, delivering information relating to hydration of said region.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the non-optical detection cells comprise capacitive detection cells.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein the region is at least a portion of the forearm.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein the information relating to hydration of said region is determined at least from statistical processing of at least one image obtained using said sensor.

36. A method according to claim 35, further including determining uniformity of hydration from the signals delivered by the sensor.

37. A method according to claim 32, further including determining aging of the skin from the signals coming from the sensor.

38. A method according to claim 32, wherein said region is analyzed with the sensor for a predefined duration.

39. A method according to claim 32, further including determining major directions of skin lines from the signals delivered by the sensor.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein a difference is calculated between said major directions.

41. A method according to claim 32, further including determining results of two evaluations relating to the hydration of said region at two different instants, and wherein an indication associated with variation in hydration between said two different instants is obtained.

42. A method according to claim 32, further including performing at least one evaluation of the hydration of a region of the body that is not exposed to the sun and at least one evaluation of a region of the body that is exposed to the sun, and comparing results of the evaluations.

43. A method according to claim 42, further including determining aging of the skin by comparing the results of the evaluations.

44. A method according to claim 32, further including analyzing said region with the sensor at a first geographical location, delivering data obtained from the signals by transmitting the data remotely via a network, and processing said data at a second geographical location in order to evaluate the hydration of said region.

45. A method according to claim 32, further including storing images obtained successively in time of the region under study.

46. A method according to claim 45, further including comparing at least two values obtained by statistical processing of two of said images.

47. A method according to claim 32, wherein the method comprises issuing a message containing the information.

48. A method of determining the effectiveness of treatment having an action on skin hydration, the method comprising:

performing a first evaluation of hydration on a region of the skin;

performing a treatment;

after the treatment, performing a second evaluation of the hydration of said region; and

wherein at least one of the first and second evaluations is performed by implementing a method as defined in claim 32.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein both the first and the second evaluations are performed by implementing a method as defined in claim 32.

50. A method of treating a region of the body, the method comprising:

evaluating hydration of said region by implementing a method as defined in claim 32;

and

performing a treatment for the hydration of the skin based on the evaluation.

54. A method for promoting the sale of a product, the method comprising demonstrating at least one of an activity and an effectiveness of the product as revealed utilizing a method as defined in claim 32.

51. A method of evaluating skin hydration, comprising:

providing a fingerprint sensor having an array of capacitive detection cells integrated in at least one of a computer and a portable terminal; and

using said fingerprint sensor for providing information relating to skin hydration.

52. A method according to claim 51, wherein the portable terminal is a mobile telephone.

53. A mobile telephone fitted with a sensor comprising an array of capacitive detection cells for application to at least one of a region of skin and a mucous membrane, said telephone including means for processing signals delivered by said sensor in order to deliver information relating to hydration of the at least one of a region of skin and a mucous membrane.