Kodak Imaging Software Chosen by P&G to Speed Research, Product Development; ENVI Software Provides Analytical Data for Research and Manufacturing.

Business Editors

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2001

Eastman Kodak Company announced today that the Procter & Gamble Company will use Kodak's information extraction software to speed research into chemical compounds and bring new products to market faster.

Scientists at P&G, one of the world's largest manufacturers of household goods, have chosen ENVI software to analyze images captured with infrared cameras. The software was created by Research Systems Inc., which Kodak purchased in September 2000. RSI is part of Kodak's Commercial & Government Systems unit, the company's fastest-growing business. Terms of the transaction with P&G were not disclosed.

Since 1994, P&G has been developing technology that combines infrared spectroscopy with imaging through the use of infrared cameras. With the ENVI software, P&G can now extract information from those images to identify in a matter of hours compounds that previously could not have been identified at all. This will help P&G accelerate product development, another example of how the convergence of imaging and information technology - known as infoimaging - will produce more benefits for companies and consumers than ever before.

"The ENVI software demonstrates the powerful ability of images to become information," said Martin Graen, general manager, C&GS Image Information Solutions. "As the market for all consumer products becomes ever more competitive, companies looking for an edge in product development will want to take advantage of the benefits to be reaped from extracting information from images."

For example, P&G's latest technique utilizes infrared spectra collected from a focal-plane detector attached to an infrared microscope. "ENVI allows us to quickly isolate the molecular signature that each chemical molecule produces with its infrared spectra," says Dr. Curtis Marcott, a P&G research fellow. "An infrared beam is passed through the material, which causes the molecules in the sample to vibrate. The process of exciting a molecular vibration results in the absorbance of infrared light of the spectral color that matches the vibrational frequency of the particular chemical type."

Dr. Marcott added that "because ENVI has a user-friendly interface, it can handle large datasets very efficiently, can analyze hyperspectral data, and provides one of the most advanced imaging processing tools in the industry."

Using this combination of spectroscopy and microscopy, Dr. Marcott has been able to fully examine the microstructure of materials, including individual layers of polymer films. "The technique holds great promise for gathering a wide variety of chemical information from biological specimens," Dr. Marcott said.

Such research is an example of how the convergence of imaging and information technology is expanding the utility of pictures. The infoimaging industry unites three closely related imaging markets -- devices, services / media, and infrastructure, such as the ENVI software - that enable people to more easily use images as a fast and effective way to share pictures as information, entertainment or memories.

About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging

Eastman Kodak Company is the world's leader in helping people and businesses take, share and store pictures - traditional or digital. Kodak's sales last year of nearly $14 billion were divided between consumer and commercial products and services, such as professional and consumer digital cameras, laser imagers for radiologists, photographic films for professionals and amateurs, digital services for cinematographers, high-speed document scanners and aerial images. Kodak is a leading participant in infoimaging, a $225 billion industry created by the convergence of images and information technology. Infoimaging unites three closely related imaging markets - devices, infrastructure and services / media - that enable people to more easily use images as a fast and effective way to share pictures as information, entertainment or memories.

Kodak's Commercial & Government Systems unit provides innovative image information solutions for business and government market needs. This includes aerial imaging products; digital imaging systems for commercial imaging satellites, image database; optical systems for land and space telescopes; small molded glass and plastic optics; remote-sensing imaging products and services; image and data analysis software; and custom image information solutions. For more information about Kodak infoimaging, please visit their website at www.kodak.com/go/globalimaging.

About P&G

P&G markets more than 250 brands including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Bounty(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Olay(R), Crest(R), Vicks(R) and Actonel(R). P&G employs nearly 106,000 people in more than 80 countries worldwide. For more information about P&G, please visit their website at www.pg.com.