710795Metail - Project Mother - Advanced photography appliance to automate 3D garment photographyClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKMetail is the leading provider of body shape and garment visualisation tech for online retailers. Our system, in use by major retailers in the UK, Brazil and India, allows online shoppers to generate images of their own body and dress the model to provide a visualisation of a garment/outfit - giving a virtual fitting room experience and addressing issues that hinder more online clothes shopping. The current system, whilst valuable to shoppers, and reducing returns and increasing conversion for retailers has limitations in two areas: (1) Need for increased garment throughput in photography stage to support largest retailers with lower capital costs and simpler operations, (2) High level of manually activities needed to produce a digital garment before visualisation. To address these issues, Metail completed two previously funded projects. Through Vestis & Scrydan Metail has productionised 3 technologies: (1) Automatic separation of garment images from the photo background, (2) Automated creation of 3D models of a garment from the captured images, (3) Real-time 3D visualisation of the garment. These advances, reduce manual processes and improve realism, but require additional photography and thus reduce garment throughput. Project Mother will solve this by developing an automated photography/digitisation appliance, embedding Vestis & Scrydan. The integrated machine has four features: (1) embedded Vestis and Scrydan technology, (2) automated mannequin loading and queuing, (3) automated and standardised photography, (4) use of a single system by multiple users simultaneously to increase throughput. Project Mother will devise solutions to the hardware, photography and operational challenges, conduct component bench tests, develop an integrated prototype, and test in a commercial environment. This PoC provides a solution which will accelerate growth, including higher garment coverage and larger user base, and enable scope for working with the largest retailers.