Three Dimensional Body Scanning Systems with Potential for Use in the Apparel Industry

THREE DIMENSIONAL BODY SCANNING SYSTEMS WITH POTENTIAL FOR USE IN THE APPAREL INDUSTRY Su-Jeong Hwang, January, 2001 The technology of three dimensional human body scanning systems is used in various applications, such as movies’ special effects, anthropology, hospitals, militaries, and made to measure garments in apparel. The purpose of this study was to understand the principles of the scanning system and to determine currently available 3D body scanning systems that have feasibility for use in the apparel by an analysis and comparison of the systems. Nineteen companies have been investigated. Cyberware, Hamano, Vitronic, TecMath, TC2, Telmat, Wicks and Wilson, and Hamamatsu are currently appropriate for use in the apparel industry for measurement of human body size. The principle of the 3D body scanning systems is based on optical triangulation by non-contact methods using either laser or light projection systems. The body scanner scans the surface of a three-dimensional object, projecting either laser or light, and using vision devices to capture the shape of the object. The data from the scan is extracted by a software program. Cyberware, Vitronic, Hamano, TecMath, and Vitronic use a laser and TC2, Wicks and Wilson, Telmat, and Hamamatsu use a light source and various techniques for capture. TC2 and Wicks and Wilson use similar methods by using white light sources, however Hamamatsu uses a near infrared light LED with PSD method. By comparison of the scanning systems, I found that light projection types of scanners, such as TC2 and Triform, are usually faster in scanning time but slower in extraction of the measurement data than the Laser types. The Hamamatsu BL scanner, using near infrared LED, and SYMCAD are faster in extraction time than the body scanning systems which use a moiré technique method. Three dimensional body scanning systems have advantages of accuracy and high speed in the measuring process compared to the traditional tape method. It will be a beneficial technology for the apparel industry in the development of mass customization. Rapid 3D body scanning and data analysis can accurately specify uniform sizes to reduce time, errors, and cost. However, problems have been found on missing data due to the shading effects and inconsistency in body positioning.