Systems and methods for analyzing a fabric article

1. A method for analyzing a fabric article to determine fiber damage, wherein the method comprises:

providing the fabric article;

capturing at least one image of the fabric article using a three-dimensional imaging device;

processing the at least one image using a contrast function to produce a processed data set representative of fiber damage in a viewing area of the three-dimensional imaging device; and

producing a processed image based upon the processed data set;

laundering the fabric article using a first laundry formulation and capturing the at least one image of the fabric article after laundering the fabric article using the laundry formulation;

providing one or more additional fabric articles;

laundering the one or more additional fabric articles using modified laundry formulations different from the first laundry formulation;

capturing at least one image of the one or more additional fabric articles using the three-dimensional imaging device after laundering the one or more additional fabric articles;

processing the at least one image of the one or more additional fabric articles using the contrast function to produce additional processed data set(s) representative of fiber damage in the viewing area of the three-dimensional imaging device;

conducting a statistical analysis of the processed data sets from the fabric article and the one or more additional fabric articles; and

determining that the processed data sets are statistically different and reformulating one or more of the laundry formulations based upon determining that the processed data sets are statistically different.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the at least one image comprises capturing a plurality of images of the fabric article using the three-dimensional imaging device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein capturing the plurality of images comprises capturing the plurality of images with a different illumination direction for each of the plurality of images with a constant viewing direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the at least one image comprises suppressing specular reflection from the surface of the fabric article.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein suppressing specular reflection comprises one or more of polarization filtering or selective elimination of data from the data set that is attributable to specular reflection.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the at least one image to produce a processed data set comprises producing the data set including a measurement of at least one variable chosen from surface roughness, elevation density, or depression density.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the processed data sets are statistically different using Tukey least squared statistical analysis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the fabric article comprises providing the fabric article that is free from a stain or extraneous material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the fabric article comprises providing the fabric article that has been subject to post-production conditions that produce at least some fiber damage in the fabric article.

10. A method for analyzing fiber damage in a fabric article attributable to a laundry formulation, wherein the method comprises:

providing a fabric article;

laundering the fabric article using a first laundry formulation;

capturing at least one image of the fabric article using a three-dimensional imaging device after laundering the fabric article using the first laundry formulation;

processing the at least one image using a contrast function to produce a processed data set representative of fiber damage in a viewing area of the three-dimensional imaging device; and

producing a processed image based upon the processed data set;

repeatedly laundering the fabric article using the first laundry formulation prior to capturing the at least one image of the fabric article;

providing one or more additional fabric articles;

laundering the one or more additional fabric articles using modified laundry formulations different from the first laundry formulation;

capturing at least one image of the one or more additional fabric articles using the three-dimensional imaging device after laundering the one or more additional fabric articles;

processing the at least one image of the one or more additional fabric articles using the contrast function to produce additional processed data set(s) representative of fiber damage in the viewing area of the three-dimensional imaging device;

determining that the processed data sets are statistically different and reformulating one or more of the laundry formulations based upon determining that the processed data sets are statistically different.

11. A system for analyzing fabric articles, wherein the system comprises:

a first fabric article and a second fabric article;

a first laundry formulation and a second laundry formulation, wherein the second laundry formulation is different from the first laundry formulation;

a laundry machine;

wherein the laundry machine is configured to launder the first fabric article by use of the first laundry formulation to produce a first laundered fabric article, and

wherein the laundry machine is configured to launder the second fabric article by use of the second laundry formulation to produce a second laundered fabric article; and

a three-dimensional imaging device,

wherein the imaging device comprises a viewing area, a plurality of separate illumination sources, and a computer processor,

wherein the viewing area is configured for placing the first or the second laundered fabric article,

wherein the plurality of separate illumination sources are positioned and configured to illuminate the first laundered fabric article placed in the viewing area from different angles so as to capture images of the first laundered fabric article through a photometric stereo technique; and wherein the computer processor is configured to process the images of the first fabric article using a contrast function to produce a first set of processed data set representative of fiber damage of the first laundered fabric article;

wherein the plurality of separate illumination sources are positioned and configured to illuminate the second laundered fabric article placed in the viewing area from different angles so as to capture images of the second laundered fabric article through a photometric stereo technique;

and wherein the computer processor is configured to process the images of the second fabric article using a contrast function to produce a second set of processed data set representative of fiber damage of the second laundered fabric article; and

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the first and the second processed data sets are statistically different.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional imaging device further comprises an arrangement of filters configured to minimize capture of specular reflection.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the computer processer is further configured to produce a processed image based upon the first or the second processed data set.