Every designer knows: a photo of an oak shade or a matte surface taken on a phone rarely looks the same in the studio. TRA:CE, a concept for a pocket CMF (color, material, finish) scanner, solves this problem by offering a device that reads characteristics directly from the surface, rather than relying on a camera.
Instead of taking a picture that depends on the whims of lighting and is distorted upon transfer, TRA:CE uses a flat disc with an optical scanner underneath. By placing it on the material and pressing a button, you initiate the scanning process. A circular display shows an animation indicating the sensor reading data. Importantly, TRA:CE captures not only color but also material type, texture, and finish characteristics. This transforms a regular piece of wood or a painted panel into a complete data set, rather than just a collection of pixels.
This approach matters when you're standing in a furniture showroom, trying to recall if the tabletop was satin or closer to matte. Lighting constantly changes our perception of color, but the scanner reads the surface directly. Each scan is saved in an app as a reference card, broken down into HEX, RGB, LAB, and CMYK values, as well as closest Pantone or RAL matches. Additionally, material grain and a numerical gloss value are recorded. This ensures the team receives the same precise data weeks later as they did during the initial scan.
TRA:CE easily fits into a pocket or attaches to a bag, becoming a tool always ready for use. It doesn't require designers to change their usual workflow. It turns a casual glance at a material into a measurable, savable asset, bypassing the inaccuracies of photos and memory. Essentially, it's a replacement for approximate field notes with precise, measurable data that can actually be used in work.