Technology — ColorSense

Inside ColorSense

Six layers.
One precise answer.

Top Shell

Matte PC/ABS · tactile ridge for orientation

Overmold Grip

TPU · prevents rolling · stays where you set it

LED Array

Broadband illumination · 4000K · works in total darkness

Spectral PCB

AS7341 · 18-channel · 415–940nm range

Glass Sensor Window

Optical-grade · scratch resistant · zero color shift

Weighted Base

Dense base · non-slip pad · stays upright on any surface

Design story

What we considered.
What we cut. What we kept.

Six ideas we prototyped, debated, and decided on — honestly.

Cut

Clip-on phone attachment

We built three versions. Every one required the user to manage a phone — the exact dependency we were trying to eliminate. Gone.

Cut

Screen on the device

Useless for someone with low vision. Added cost, complexity, and a failure point. The voice is the interface.

Cut

Voice activation only

“Hey ColorSense” is great when it works. One physical button won for reliability in noisy rooms and mornings when you just need it to work.

Rethought

Puck / stone form factor

Beautiful on a nightstand. Terrible for fabric contact. The wand shape lets the sensor window press flat against a garment — essential for accurate reads.

Cut

Camera-based color ID

Cameras guess from reflected light under ambient conditions. Spectral sensors measure. Navy and black look the same in a photo. Not to our sensor.

Kept

Cloud AI enhancement

The device works offline. Always. Cloud AI adds richer fabric descriptions and outfit context when connected — but it’s enhancement, never a dependency.

The non-negotiables

Must-haves.
Not nice-to-haves.

Before we designed anything, we wrote these down. Every decision since has been measured against them.

Works in total darkness

The LED array illuminates the fabric. No ambient light required. Get dressed at 4am without waking anyone.

Works offline

The core color ID runs on-device. Wi-Fi outage, travel, power fluctuation — ColorSense still works.

Zero setup to use

A caregiver or family member sets it up once. From that day forward, the user never touches a screen or app.

Locatable by touch

The tactile ridge and weighted base mean you can find it and orient it by feel alone. In the dark. Half asleep.

Navy ≠ black. Every time.

18-channel spectral analysis separates colors that cameras and human eyes routinely confuse. That’s the whole point.

Under $150

Assistive technology shouldn’t be a luxury. $149 puts ColorSense in range of a gift, a care plan budget, or a personal splurge.

Not a camera.
Not a guess.
Actual light science.

Six layers.
One precise answer.