Abstract: A color recognition system which illuminates a test surface through the use of a source light and fiber optic cables. The light transmitted to the test surface is reflected into a light pipe and then transmitted through fiber optic cables to a first plurality of color filtered photo detectors. The photo detectors produce quantitative color component values for the tested surface. Light is also transmitted directly from the source light through fiber optic cables to a second plurality of color filtered photo detectors. The second plurality of photo detectors produce quantitative color component values for the light source. The values produced from the first plurality of photo detectors are then adjusted with respect to the values produced from the second plurality of photo detectors.