Lab. History

The Color Imaging Lab belongs to the Department of Optics at the University of Granada, a department with a long-standing tradition in Colorimetry and Color Vision since the early 1970s. In its early years, the group carried out pioneering work on classical colorimetry and chromatic discrimination, later expanding into human and computational color constancy in the 1990s.

Between 1990 and 2000, our research shifted toward color imaging while maintaining active lines in human color vision. We focused on the mathematical characterization of objects and illuminants through linear models for spectral reflectances—especially acrylic paints—and for the SPDs of natural and artificial light sources. A major experimental campaign allowed us to characterize daylight using PCA, followed by advances in daylight SPD recovery, general scene illumination, and spectral estimation using CCD cameras with and without optical filters.

Today, the Color Imaging Lab is a research group specialized in color and spectral imaging (multispectral and hyperspectral), applied colorimetry, color perception and vision, and advanced image‐processing techniques. Our work combines fundamental science with the development of optical and computational solutions applicable to a wide range of scientific and industrial sectors.

Our expertise includes the acquisition and processing of multispectral and hyperspectral images using advanced instrumentation and algorithms to recognize objects, analyze materials, or enhance visual quality in real environments. In color vision, we study color constancy, color vision deficiencies, and visual salience. Applications we have addressed include:

• performance evaluation of spectral imaging prototypes
• enhancement of visibility in atmospherically degraded images
• food quality analysis
• detection of microplastics in sea salt samples
• identification of pigments and inks in manuscripts and paintings

Our research contributes to fields such as industrial inspection, agri-food analysis, material characterization, cultural heritage conservation, computer vision, and medical/environmental imaging.

Our laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, proprietary spectral databases, and a solid national and international collaborative network. This allows us to lead R&D projects oriented toward innovation and technology transfer.

Our equipment includes hyperspectral cameras (visible, UV, and near-IR), multispectral cameras, RGB cameras, infrared reflectography systems, thermal cameras, spectroradiometers, scanning and illumination systems, and calibration targets for imaging.

The updated equipment list is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z9mZbYwNwlhgJZ-71OCv132k3lWg3zSE

The Color Imaging Lab participates in doctoral programs, master’s degrees, and specialized courses related to color and spectral imaging. We have organized major events such as the 10th Congress of the International Colour Association (AIC Colour 05).

We also teach in the Erasmus Mundus Master Computational Color and Spectral Imaging (COSI), delivered by:

• University Jean Monnet (France)
• University of Granada (Spain)
• University of Eastern Finland
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology

The program trains interdisciplinary experts in intelligent image processing, color and spectral imaging, and applied computational imaging, with strong collaboration from industrial and academic partners across Europe, Asia, and beyond.

The Color Imaging Lab offers its expertise to companies and institutions interested in applying image analysis techniques to improve processes, support automation, or develop high value-added products.