Why did we create the Color Butler app?
Dr. Robert (Bob) Penner, M.D., had the great idea to develop an app that helps people, mostly men, who suffer from color deficiency (also described commonly as color blindness).Bob is color blind as well. The Color Butler app is his contribution to the community with the goal of later expanding the app to assist women who may also have trouble discerning different colors.
How does the app identify the true color of an article of clothing from a photo?
We have invented a patent-pending approach that uses machine learning to convert the red, green, and blue (RGB) values from a photo into the most appropriate color name. All you have to do is move your finger over your photo of your garment when you are adding it to your closet. You’ll see the RGB values change as you move your finger.Just select the place you feel is most representative of the garment’s color (even if you are color blind), and the artificial intelligence in the app will respond with the appropriate color label and place that on the selected wireframe representing your garment.
The app knows a lot of colors but I don’t see my favorite color periwinkle. Why?
At Color Butler we have nothing against periwinkle, or any other amazing color. But for the time being we have focused on the colors used most regularly in men’s fashion and those that most men actually understand. We’ll be expanding the app to include more colors that are tailored to each person’s individual perception of color. Even periwinkle.
What does the Color Butler app cost?
It's free! In the future, we are planning to have a premium version that uses artificial intelligence and human experts to help rate your outfits and suggest additional articles of clothing that would go great in your wardrobe. But for now, everything about the Color Butler app is free.
What is the best way to take pictures of my clothes using the Color Butler app?
We recommend that you take your photos with the camera at least three feet from the garment that you'd like to photograph and in the best light you can find. Next, look at what the camera is displaying and assess whether or not it matches what you are seeing before you touch the screen to assign a color to the garment.
What causes color blindness?
Color blindness is typically inherited. It’s caused by a genetic defect on the X chromosome and therefore is more likely to arise in men than in women. However, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, injury, and other factors can contribute to color blindness as well.
How does the app know how to score outfits?
Working with fashion consultants and rules of the color wheel, we have developed patent-pending algorithms that score the appropriateness of two or more RGB values. These algorithms focus not only on the color matching but even the type of garment that is being matched! It’s pretty smart stuff.
Why is it that I have to generate outfits in a specific order of garments?
Maybe there’s someone who would put together their favorite socks and belt and call it an “outfit,” but for us a man’s outfit has to have a shirt and pants. We decided to start with the shirt. From there you move on to the pants. After that the app leads you through the possible additional items including socks, shoes, belt, jacket, and tie.
What new services will be offered in next releases of the app?
We’re working on a calendar function so that you can generate and save outfits, and remember which outfits were worn when. This will be a great way of making sure you don’t wear the same clothes in front of the same people multiple times, unless you really want to. It will also help in planning your clothing needs when traveling across the country or around the world. We’re also looking to convert the app for android soon…and also expand the tool so that women can enjoy it as well. Look for great new releases soon.
Sometimes the color I'm seeing in the iPhone doesn't match what my eyes see when I look at a garment. Why is that?
The iPhone camera appears to include some built-in adjustments that can change the way a color looks on the screen as compared to how our eyes see it. We've seen that this can be an issue particularly when holding the camera too close to a garment, or in low light. If you don't think the color on the screen is matching what you are seeing with your own eyes, we recommend taking a picture from a greater distance and in different lighting.
Whom do I contact to provide feedback, offer suggestions, or find out more about the app and company?
Thanks for your interest! You can contact us directly at rpenner <at> colorbutler.com. We look forward to hearing from you and to helping the color deficient community with this color matching tool.
Color Butler Privacy Policy
The Color Butler app collects a variety of data including user profile, user clothes, and combinations of those clothes. These data are collected through user input and use of the iPhone’s camera and photo library. The app uses these data to help color blind or color deficient individuals determine the colors of the clothes they have and how well they match in the formation of outfits. No personal information gathered about app users, other than the name and email address specifically of only those users who are interested in entering our contests and agree to provide that content. No data collected on the Color Butler app are shared with a third party. User data are retained only on the user’s phone. Users can delete any profile, clothes, and all other data at any time. Users can email directly to Color Butler to revoke consent if requested for any contest. Within the app, we specifically ask for user consent to import photos using the camera or library. These data are central to the core functionality of the Color Butler app.