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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently pioneered a groundbreaking suite of colour management technologies designed to revolutionise digital displays and imaging devices. These cutting-edge innovations cater to a wide array of technologies, including light-emitting diode (LED) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lighting systems, smartphones, cameras, and extended reality (XR) headsets, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).
The primary goal is to capture and reproduce colours with unparalleled fidelity, thereby elevating the overall user experience. Notably, these technologies have not only been successfully commercialised but have also gained widespread adoption by key players in social media, imaging systems, and manufacturers of LED lighting products, smartphones, and drones. Over100 million high-end smart devices worldwide annually integrate these transformative technologies, attesting to their significance in the digital landscape.
In response to the challenges posed by emerging technologies like OLED and Quantum-dot LED (QLED), which exhibit narrower spectral compositions, PolyU’s Professor Tommy Minchen Wei and his dedicated research team have spearheaded a series of remarkable colour management technologies. The innovations address issues related to consistent colour appearance in digital devices, posing unprecedented challenges for cameras and displays.
One advancement is the development of a six-channel RGBACL (Red, Green, Blue, Amber, Cyan, and Lime) lighting module and control algorithm. This revolutionary technology significantly enhances the colour presentation of LED lighting systems, offering a solution to the difficulties posed by the narrower spectral compositions of OLED and QLED technologies.
Furthermore, the algorithm facilitates rapid adjustment of the colour appearance of human face skin when captured by different cameras, a feature that has found application in the production of Hollywood movies and TV series, courtesy of a renowned cinema lighting fixture manufacturer.
The colour management technologies extend to video and image shooting equipment, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect human faces in frames. This implementation optimises the colour appearance of skin tone, ensuring consistent and faithful colour reproduction.
The inclusion of AI-powered white balance algorithms in camera chips represents another stride forward in achieving accurate and lifelike colours in photos and videos taken under varying environmental conditions. This particular technology has garnered adoption by leading smartphone and XR device manufacturers.
Among the range of related technologies, solutions for capturing and displaying colours in telephoto and macro shooting scenarios, colour tuning during image processing, and reproduction of colours in high dynamic range (HDR) scenes are notable. Additionally, ensuring colour consistency across displays used in various devices and a self-adjusting colour algorithm for mixed reality headsets underscore the comprehensive nature of PolyU’s advancements in colour management.
Professor Tommy Minchen Wei emphasised the critical role of colour in the metaverse experience, especially as users increasingly embrace hyper-realistic digital realms. By developing cutting-edge algorithms and AI-powered solutions, he envisions aiding content creators in delivering precise colours to users, enabling them to immerse themselves in a more lifelike virtual world.
Prof. Wei’s contributions to scientific research in colour science have garnered recognition and funding from prestigious organisations, including the Research Grants Council, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department in Hong Kong. His exceptional research accomplishments have earned him accolades such as the Google Research Scholar Award, the 2022 PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award, and the 2022 PolyU President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Knowledge Transfer.
In a strategic move to accelerate the translation of research outcomes into tangible community impact, Prof. Wei co-founded a startup in 2023; it focuses on developing personalised AI smart devices, including those for health monitoring, and solutions for key technologies in XR headsets.
The start-up has successfully attracted financial support from various venture capital funds, angel investors, and private investors, further advancing the development of its user experience-enhancing colour management technologies.
