Patent · US Active

System and method for counting follicular units

US8290229B2 · kind B2 · utility

26Cited by
17References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 16, 2012
Grant dateOct 16, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 16, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30242
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for counting follicular units using an automated system comprises acquiring an image of a body surface having skin and follicular units, filtering the image to remove skin components in the image, processing the resulted image to segment it, and filtering noise to eliminate all elements other than hair follicles of interest so that hair follicles in an area of interest can be counted. The system may comprise an image acquisition device and an image processor for performing the method. In another aspect, the system and method also classifies the follicular units based on the number of hairs in the follicular unit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.