color matching e swatches by chen liao hsun

‘color elite’ scanner and e-swatches design by chen liao-hsun

‘color elite’, or ‘e-swatches’, a concept and structural prototype project by taiwanese design student chen liao-hsun, is a portable library of color swatches that serves also to scan and automatically identify the color of physical objects and surfaces.

the device features a flexible e-paper screen with a circular cutout, into and out of which a small scanner can be inserted. when disconnected from the scanner, the device can function as a swatch plate for a single color, with its open hole permitting users to make tone matches by sight. selecting a swatch turns the entire sheet that color, to better verify a match.

when the scanner is inserted, it is utilized via the ‘auto-extraction’ function to view and analyze the color of any object or surface it is placed in front of. containing a library of color systems from which the user can select his preference (pantone, in the example images), the device then displays the swatch palette corresponding to this object’s color.

users can also ‘bookmark’ colors or view recent match history via the device’s menu. a power switch preserves battery, while a connection port enables both data transmission and recharging. ‘color elite’ is kept up-to-date via software version updates that reflect any changes to the design swatch system.

view of ‘color elite’ assembled (front left) and various unconnected models showcasing different screen view

when disconnected from the scanner, the device serves as a swatch plate (left) from which users can preview colors of their selection (right)

closer side view; the device is composed of flexible e-paper

concept view of a scan in progress

video demo of ‘color elite’