# TRA:CE is a portable scanner concept for recording color, material, and surface finish

DevFeed: [TRA:CE is a portable scanner concept for recording color, material, and surface finish](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/phone-photos-of-materials-lie-this-scanner-reads-the-surface-itself-31394.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.yankodesign.com/2026/09/16/phone-photos-of-materials-lie-this-scanner-reads-the-surface-itself/>)

Author: JC Torres

Published: 2026-09-16T13:20:57Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Yanko Design](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/yanko-design.md>)

Topics: [color](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/color.md>), [Tool](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/tool.md>), [dataset](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/dataset.md>), [App](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/app.md>)

Tags: [capture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/capture.md>), [cmf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cmf.md>), [color](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/color.md>), [concept-designs](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/concept-designs.md>), [design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/design.md>), [gadgets](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gadgets.md>), [gadgets-product-design-technology-cmf-concept-designs-scanner](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gadgets-product-design-technology-cmf-concept-designs-scanner.md>), [product-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/product-design.md>), [scanner](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scanner.md>), [technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technology.md>)

## AI overview

The article presents TRA:CE, a pocket-sized CMF scanner concept that reads color, material, texture, and finish directly from surfaces. Scans are saved in a companion app with color values, reference matches, grain, pore size, and gloss information.

## Source excerpt

Phone Photos of Materials Lie, This Scanner Reads the Surface Itself Every designer has a folder full of phone photos that were supposed to capture a specific shade of oak or a particular matte finish, and...