Has anyone seen the inside of a color matching system?

[ezalys]

Hey all, has anyone looked at the inside of a color matching device? I’m curious what light sources are used, if multiple sources are used at different angles, and what kind of sensors are typically used.

[tooki]

You mean things like the spectrophotometers they have at paint stores for matching paints?

[NiHaoMike]

The one I used in chemistry class long ago was just a RGB LED and solar cell on opposite sides of a test tube holder, then there's a rotary dial to select the color and a digital panel meter calibrated to display absorbance, all packaged into a generic black project box. Very low tech and primitive, but it works!