Recent Advances in 3D Full Body
Scanning
with Applications to Fashion and
Apparel
WHAT IS 3 D BODY
SCANNER?
The 3D full-body scanner is an image-capturing piece
of equipment used to generate virtual models and
extract body measurements for individuals and is
used in the manufacture of custom-fitting apparel.
It reflects body posture of individuals and can be utilized
in body-shape analysis, as well as virtual fitting of
apparel on body models.
SCANNER TECHNOLOGY
Three major technologies are commercially
available in 3D whole body scanning and extraction
of body measurement. They are as follows:
LASER SCANNING: (CYBERWARE AND HUMAN
SOLUTIONS)
WHITE LIGHT PROJECTION: ([TC]2
MILLIMETRIC WAVE TECHNOLOGY: (INTELLIFIT)
SCANNER TECHNOLOGY-
LASER SCANNING
The most expensive technology.
One or more eye-safe, structured, thin and sharp laser
stripe is projected onto the human body.
Determination of X, Y, Z co-ordinates of each point on this
bent stripe is done by applying simple geometrical rules,
‘triangulation’.
This helps to measure the surface of the human body and
a corresponding point cloud is formed.
The scanner unit moves vertically along the pillar.
Three to four such pillars are used to digitize the whole
body of a human being.
SCANNER TECHNOLOGY-
WHITE LIGHT PROJECTION:
([TC]2
Similar to laser scanning but, instead of moving the laser
stripe (scanner unit) a light pattern (usually black and white
stripes from a halogen light source) is projected onto the
body and the whole scene is captured by a digital camera.
The difference is that this happens in a single step and the
entire surface can be digitized in a single acquisition.
The stripes may be shifted up and down and multiple scenes
are captured to increase the image resolution.
The same ‘Triangulation’ is used to measure each of the
stripes and correspondingly, the point cloud is formed.
Instructions and Light Optimization 20 sec
Avatar Mesh Scan time 7 3D Point
2 seconds seconds Cloud 12
seconds
Measurement
3 seconds
waist = 37.7-in
hip = 42.8-in
seat = 41.8-in
thigh = 22.7-in Landmark
knee = 15.0-in
sideseam = 39.7-in detection,
inseam = 29.5-in
crotch length = 26.0-in
body
collar = 16.7-in segmentation
front neck to waist =
20.2-in and
back neck to waist =
20.8-in
data
cross shoulder = 19.1- reduction 16
in
chest = 46.2-in seconds
cross chest = 16.3-in
cross back = 16.0-in
sleeve length = 33.8-in
Total Duration 60 seconds
Automatic Dense (~3000)
Geometry Markers ~ 1 second
Landmarks intelligently placed based on Body Geometry-Shape Features
Reference Mesh – Scan Subject
Virtual Fashion without
Draping
Accuracy
SCANNER TECHNOLOGY-
MILLIMETRIC WAVE
TECHNOLOGY
Very low powered harmonic radio waves (much less
than what is used in GSM mobiles) are sent from a
transmitter which penetrate the clothes and bounce back
from the skin of the subject.
A receiver intercepts those reflected waves.
The phase difference of the transmitted and the received
waves are calculated to determine the 3D coordinates of
the reflecting points.
The scanning process takes about 10 seconds and the
collected data consists of about 200,000 points in space.
3D BODY SCANNER
LEADERS
There are a number of body scanners that use various
ways of collecting measurements of the human body.
There are three major companies that produce 3D body
scanning systems that can be used in the textile and
apparel industry.
These companies are Textile Clothing and
Technology Corporation ([TC]2), Cyberware, Inc.,
and Human Solutions.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS-
([TC]2)
[TC]2 is a company known world wide for their
developments in 3D body scanning technology.
Their 3D Body Measurement System (BMS) became
available for commercial sale in 1998 and was first sold in
1999 to industry leader Levi Strauss and Company.
Their system can produce a 3D model of an individual in six
seconds using a phase measuring profilometry (PMP)
technique.
This technique projects white light on the surface of an
object while the coupled charged device (CCD) camera
linked to a computer captures a total of four images from
each sensor.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS-
([TC]2)
Each image is then calculated pixel by pixel (roughly
800,000) to determine the pixels 3D data point.
These data points are compiled together creating a point
cloud which consists of roughly 40,000 points for each
subject’s body.
EXAMPLES OF 3D POINT CLOUD DATA AND MEASUREMENT
EXTRACTION RETRIEVED FROM [TC]2.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS-
([TC]2)
Once the point cloud is created for each image they are
combined together to form a single point cloud of the body.
These points can then be used to extract up to 200
measurements automatically in less than a minute.
The image and measurements are then processed into a
computer that is equipped with Windows XP operating system
and is compatible with a variety of CAD systems available on
the market.
Some companies that have implemented [TC]2 body scanning
technology are Levi Strauss and Co., Brooks Brothers
and Co., LeBon Marche’ store, and Benchmark
Clothiers.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS -
CYBERWARE
Cyberware is another company that has developed
3D body scanning technology.
Their products are called Whole Body X 3D
Scanner (WBX), which is a fully enclosed scanner,
and Whole Body Color 3D Scanner (WB4).
They both take 17 seconds to create a complete
image.
These scanners use laser light that is projected
around the body and into the cameras located in the
scanning heads.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS -
CYBERWARE
It was developed for use in acquiring measurement
data used for apparel product development.
Overall, the measurement information can be
taken as output in over 10 formats.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS - HUMAN
SOLUTIONS
Human Solutions, formally known as TechMath, that focuses on
innovative hardware and software solutions for the
measurement and simulation of humans.
Their 3D body scanner uses an eye-safe laser to create an
image of the individual in less than 10 seconds.
This image can be used in a variety of applications from
apparel customization to cosmetic surgery.
For apparel, the scanned images can be used to acquire
approximately 100 measurements that are entered into their
software program RETAILOR and used to track the consumer’s
measurements as well as their preferences.
This information can ultimately be sent to the manufacturer via
the internet (online data transfer), LAN, Email, or fax without
middle man involvement.
3D BODY SCANNER LEADERS - HUMAN
SOLUTIONS
With the use of the 3D body scanner and RETAILOR a company can
quickly and economically mass customize apparel to the consumer’s
needs and wants.
Human Solutions created a software program called ANTHROSCAN
which is used to compile sizing charts based off of a large group of
individual’s scans.
Due to the measurements being done digitally, and the images
being stored and retrievable, the sizes and tables can be added to
and altered at a later date.
This process of serial-measuring is considered to be time-
consuming, expensive, labor intensive, and error-prone than the
traditional measuring tape method to acquire a sizing system.
COMPARISON OF 3D BODY SCANNERS BASED ON
OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS
COMPARISON OF 3D BODY SCANNERS BASED
ON OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS
COMPARISON OF 3D BODY SCANNERS BASED ON
OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS
COMPARISON OF 3D BODY SCANNERS BASED
ON OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS
SIZING SURVEYS IN THE APPAREL INDUSTRY
In all National sizing surveys, the entire
population of a particular country is divided into
groups and sub-groups, depending on gender,
age, height, ethnic origin, etc. and a sample
from each sub-group is drawn to represent the
entire population in that sub-group.
The sum total of all the samples from all sub-
groups determined how many people to
measure for that country.
SIZING SURVEYS IN THE APPAREL
INDUSTRY-CYBERWARE
1. The first international anthropometric survey to use 3D body scans
(Cyberware WB4) was the 1998 – 2000 Civilian American and
European Surface Anthropometry Resource Program (CAESAR) by
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
2. This survey started as a partnership between the government
and various industries, including apparel, to collect a large
sample of consumer’s measurements across the globe.
3. It included 2,400 U.S. and Canadian civilians as well as 2,000
European civilians, both male and female age 18-65 in the
study.
4. Each participant was scanned in three positions which included
relaxed seating, standing, and full-coverage pose as well as
measured using the traditional tape measure method to acquire an
addition 40 measurements.
SIZING SURVEYS IN THE APPAREL
INDUSTRY-
[TC]2:
1. This study served as a model for other anthropometric
population studies such as Size UK and Size USA.
2. [TC]2’s Size USA survey used the 3D body scanner to
enable the creation of appropriate sizing charts and
increase the understanding of the human body through
different cohorts of the population.
3. This study was comprised of scanned images of over
10,000 women and men across the U.S. (Istook, 2000;
Loker, Ashdown, Cowie, & Schoenfelder, 2004; [TC]2
BENEFITS OF USING 3D BODY
SCANNERS
3D Body Scanner is a faster process than the
traditional measuring tape method
it is a contact-free measurement process
it is an objective measuring process
the user has control over measurement location
and quantity
it gives the consumer a radically new purchasing
experience
It is a means to lure consumers to the company
3D BODY SCANNER
APPLICATIONS
Global industries have used these
scanners for
1. Sizing Surveys
2. Development of Sizing Charts
3. Custom Apparel
4. Size Recommendations
5. Body Shape Analysis
6. Animation, Graphics, and
Gaming
7. Health and Medical Applications
8. Custom Mannequins
9. Virtual Shopping
10. 3D Modeling.
