# US 10,368,751 B2 · Skin scanning device with hair orientation and view angle changes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,368,751 B2 - Document ID: US10368751B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/910,705 - Filed: 2018-03-02 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-15 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Mani Abedini; Rajib Chakravorty; Rahil Garnavi; Lenin Mehedy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368751B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/0064: {Body surface scanning} - A61B 5/0077: {Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens} - A61B 5/441: {Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis} - A61B 5/444: {Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar} - A61B 5/70: {Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means} - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 2562/0233: Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00 - A61B 2562/0242: for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A scan head for scanning skin includes a frame and a camera coupled to the frame. A controllable probe is coupled to the frame and is configured to change an orientation of hair on the skin to be examined and imaged with the camera. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for scanning skin, comprising: a frame; at least one camera coupled to the frame, the camera being configured to acquire at least one image of a subject; a memory; an image processing module stored in the memory, the image processing module being configured to determine whether hair is present in the at least one image of the subject; and a repositionable, controllable probe coupled to the frame, the probe being configured to be repositioned to change an orientation of hair detected by the image processing module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe includes an electrostatic probe that changes the orientation of hair using static charge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe includes an air pressure altering probe that changes the orientation of hair using air movement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising lights coupled to the frame to illuminate an area of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the lights are interspersed on the frame between the at least one camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe is coupled to the frame by a controller arm, the controller arm including an actuation device for repositioning the controller arm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame is coupled to a robot system wherein the robot system provides controlled movement of the at least one camera. ### Claim 8 A scanning system, comprising: a link having one or more scan heads formed thereon; a robot coupled to the link and configured to scan the link over skin of a body; the one or more scan heads including: a frame; and at least one camera coupled to the frame, the camera being configured to acquire at least one image of a subject; a memory; an image processing module stored in the memory, the image processing module being configured to determine whether hair is present in the at least one image of the subject; a repositionable, controllable probe coupled to the frame, the probe being configured to be repositioned to change an orientation of hair detected by the image processing module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The scanning system as recited in claim 8, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe includes an electrostatic probe that changes the orientation of hair using static charge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The scanning system as recited in claim 9, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe includes an air pressure altering probe that changes the orientation of hair using air movement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The scanning system as recited in claim 8, further comprising lights coupled to the frame to illuminate an area of interest. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The scanning system as recited in claim 11, wherein the lights are interspersed on the frame between the at least one camera. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The scanning system as recited in claim 8, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe is coupled to the frame by a controller arm, the controller arm including an actuation device for repositioning the controller arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The scanning system as recited in claim 8, wherein the robot is controlled by a control module to provide controlled movement of the one or more scan heads. ### Claim 15 A method for scanning skin, comprising: scanning a subject to acquire at least one image of the subject using a scan head having at least one camera coupled to a frame and a repositionable, controllable probe coupled to the frame; determining whether hair is present in the at least one image of the subject by an image processing module; activating the repositionable, controllable probe to change an orientation of hair detected by the image processing module; and imaging an area of interest on the subject with the orientation of hair changed using the at least one camera. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe includes an electrostatic probe and activating the controllable probe includes changing the orientation of hair using static charge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the controllable probe includes an air pressure altering probe and activating the repositionable, controllable probe includes changing the orientation of hair using air movement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising lights coupled to the frame and further comprising illuminating an area of interest with the lights. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the repositionable, controllable probe is coupled to the frame by a controller arm, and further comprising actuating the controller arm to move the repositionable, controllable probe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein a robot provides controlled movement of the scan head.