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Translating the physical world to the digital has been a challenge, especially when it comes to things like color: Color isn&t actually all
that static a thing, and the myriad displays and cameras we use can represent them in very different ways
But new gadgets from startup Nix can help cut through the confusion & the Nix line of color sensors, including the accessible Nix Mini
(normally $99) and the more sophisticated Nix Pro 2 (normally $349).
These devices are deceptively simple in their use and construction, but
do one job remarkably well & with a lot going on behind the scenes to make that possible
They&re main purpose is to give you a digital interpretation of an analog color, which could be the color of any surface you come across
To do this, they house a small lens and sensor inside a diamond-shaped plastic enclosure
Both the Mini and the Pro are easily pocketable, but the Mini is about the diameter of a large coin, while the Pro feels more like a golf
ball in the hand.
The sensors include built-in batteries that charge via Micro USB, and since they aren&t really using that much power when
in operation, you can get around 3,000 individual surface scans out of a single full battery
Using them is also fantastically easy: You download an app (Nix has three, including one for digital color capture, one for paint, and one
for Pro users with additional info useful for professional paint shops and other applications), pair one of the devices (they should show up
automatically once charged) and then tap a button in the app to scan a surface, holding the Nix up to said surface.
The process is super
quick, and provides different results depending on which app you&re using
In the Nix Paints app, once you select your preferred brand, it&ll give you the closes possible off-the-shelf matches, which is great if
you&re doing patch work or repainting a portion of your house
You can also get a palette of complimentary or otherwise matching colors for redecorating
And the ‘Digital& app lets you see all the HEX and other values you&d use for web or digital product design, and also build palettes that
work together for project work.
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Nix Pro provides a range of color readouts that are used by
professionals for super-accurate matching and measurement, and you can again use the built-in paint library to match accurately, or the
color values to have a batch custom mixed to your specifications.
Nix can scan just about any surface, including all types of paints and
fabrics, as well as tile and other flooring
It an accessory that really makes quick and painless what has been a pretty messy process in the past, and it also comes calibrated out of
the box so there nothing the user has to do to ensure color accuracy when actually using it.
