title: 3-D profilometer using a CCD linear image sensor: application to skin surface topography measurement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Measurement of cutaneous surface topography can be made by three-dimensional (3-D) profilometry. Different equipment is used for this measurement. The magnitude of the vertical scale required, which can vary from several tens of micrometers (microrelief) to several millimeters (skin pathologies), depends also on the precision required and the duration of acquisition time. Over the last few years, different apparatuses have been produced, with a vertical range that is most frequently used for classical industrial applications, i.e., 0-1000 μm.
  
  
  METHODS
  The system developed here has a wide range of about 7 mm and is accurate enough to analyse each of the different skin surfaces that fall in this range without changing magnification. An optical principle, operating without any contact with a skin replica, allows a precise measurement with a high scanning speed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The profilometer has a vertical sensitivity of 4 μm within a vertical range of 7 mm. This sensitivity is lower than that of a mechanical or focusing profilometer, but the vertical range is wider.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The system has several advantages: because of its verticale range, it can measure large surfaces with great roughness variations; the initial position of the replica beneath the profilometer must be within the 7 mm vertical range; and skin topography can be quantified, without contact, in a short time.
authors.affiliation: Facultate de Electro Enginering, Stefan Cel Mare University, Suceava, RomaniaLaboratoire de Métrologie des Interfaces Techniques, I.U.T., Besançon, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nita
authors.affiliation: Facultate de Electro Enginering, Stefan Cel Mare University, Suceava, RomaniaLaboratoire de Métrologie des Interfaces Techniques, I.U.T., Besançon, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mignot
authors.affiliation: Facultate de Electro Enginering, Stefan Cel Mare University, Suceava, RomaniaLaboratoire de Métrologie des Interfaces Techniques, I.U.T., Besançon, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chuard
authors.affiliation: Facultate de Electro Enginering, Stefan Cel Mare University, Suceava, RomaniaLaboratoire de Métrologie des Interfaces Techniques, I.U.T., Besançon, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sofa
keywords: 3; CCD detector; D profilometry; contact profilometer; non; skin surface topography; triangulation method