Fraunhofer is developing an application "HawkSpex Mobile" that can see harmful substances such as pesticides and lead just by bringing the smartphone closer

An application that can scan the components of things using smartphone cameras without using special equipment such as hyperspectral camera "HawkSpex MobileThe Fraunhofer Institute develops it.

App reveals constituents
https://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2017/february/app-reveals-constituents.html

Europe's largest applied research instituteFraunhofer InstituteHas announced that it is developing an application "HawkSpex Mobile" that detects the components of things using smartphone cameras. Generally, in order to analyze the components of an object, it is possible to finely detect the wavelength emitted from the objectHyperspectral cameraAlthough special equipment such as HawkSpex Mobile is necessary, component analysis is possible using smartphone camera.

Hyperspectral camera obtains spectral information by finely dispersing the light reflected from an object by wavelength. "Because we do not have a built-in hyperspectral camera on smartphones, we reversed the principle," said Dr. Udo Seifert of the Fraunhofer Institute.

According to Dr. Seyfert, we do not detect all the reflected light finely for each wavelength, but analyze the light that is reflected by emitting light of different wavelengths from the smartphone display and illuminating the object. Using a broadband 3-channel sensor on a smartphone's display, light of different wavelength (color) is emitted consecutively in 1 second and it seems that the component is specified by reading with the smartphone camera the wavelength of the reflected light. In addition, HawkSpex Mobile states that by using an excellent analytical algorithm it is possible to identify the components of the object even with smartphone performance.


Technical details are not mentioned and it is unknown whether this HawkSpex Mobile is feasible. However, developing HawkSpex Mobile can not help expecting only the Fraunhofer Institute that has put a number of technologies into practical use.

Once HawkSpex Mobile is completed, it will be possible to examine ingredients by bringing the smartphone closer to the object. For example, it will be possible for consumers to quickly examine food safety, such as whether agricultural chemicals are contained in vegetables that sell "organic cultivation" or if tap water contains lead. Moreover, application range is considered to be extremely wide, such as the effectiveness of cosmetics and the nutrient of cereals can be easily examined.


According to the Fraunhofer Institute, HawkSpex Mobile said the first laboratory version has been completed. Dr. Seyfert said he expects HawkSpex Mobile to be released by the end of 2017.