Question

I have access to a colour changing lightbulb system (Philips Hue). Because the light does not use RGB LEDs internally, it’s hard to predict the colour you will get out of the light when you use the API. I’d like to measure the colour of the light in an attempt to improve the way they are driven by some software I am writing and to get an idea of the colour space they cover. Why nothing will be truely accurate, I wondered if a colorimeter used to colour calibrate a monitor would be useful. However, I can’t tell if any of the commercially available systems actually provide an API to read values directly from the device.

Does anyone know of a colorimeter with a public API?

Answer 1

Here are a couple of ideas that should get you started; all of them are open source:
1) and educational colorimeter kit here
2) iorodeo
3) an article about colorimeter ideas
4) alternative consideration: using a camera

I hope some of this is helpful. CHEERS!