Human color perception is an exceedingly complex topic. As such we can only present a brief introduction here. The physical perception of color is based upon three color pigments in the retina.

Based upon psychophisical measurements, standard curves have been adopted by the Commission International I'Eclairge (CIE) as the sensitivity curves for the typical observer for the three pigments. The figure below, shows the spectral tristimulus (XYZ) values for a light source of equal spectral power.



If a photometer can be equipped with filters such that the spectral response of the photometer matches the CIE Tristimulus functions, the output of the instrument will be a direct measurement of the tristimulus values of the source being measured. Applying known formulas to the photometer response data a chromaticity value of (x,y) (numerical values for the particular color being tested are generated) which when matched to the CIE Chromaticity diagram will depict the same color as the color being tested.

K-Light Laboratories owns equipment fitted with Tristimulus filters to perform Tristimulus tests on an unknown color sample.

Call us for a quotation on your particular need.