Body Shape Recognition for Online Fashion

We are proposing to develop an online tool that will give potential benefit to many, allowing an untrained user to realise their body size and shape, from their own home, using a standard digital camera/webcam. At present, the majority of body scanning technologies deployed in retail environments are expensive and require dedicated technical support, confining their use to high-end department stores and specialist sports retailers. The fashion, social and economic benefits that body scanning offers are therefore inaccessible to the majority of the general public. This project aims to exploit low cost webcam/cameras to reformat this technology into a service that isn't reliant upon specialist hardware, and to reprogram the experience out from the controlled retail environment and into the home.There are both technical and cultural challenges to be addressed before we can achieve our goal and we have created a collaborative partnership to deal with them. Our proposed scanning technology is based upon photogrammetry, a branch of Computer Science that aims to extract 3D information from one or more 2D images. The images are usually taken from known locations with calibrated cameras, however these are two dependencies that we plan to remove from this technology from the outset. If enough prior knowledge about standard body shape, structure and posture is known, both physiological and fashion insights included, a tool can be designed to be more intelligent and less reliant upon resolution or use of multiple views. Through a double-pronged approach that uses innovative Computer Vision techniques to construct an initial model, to refinement by the application of style ontologies and retailer metadata, we aim to create a tool that will offer benefits to consumer, retailer and manufacturer alike. We will work closely with our industry partner to help us define the base requirements of our data capture tool. This will include online clothing brands that also have production interests and are working with Bodymetrics@Selfridges to develop custom fit clothing. The potential for this home sizing tool to enable a wider infrastructure of rapid manufacturing and leaner distribution networks has led us to approach a particular type of retailer that would benefit greatly from a reduction in purchase returns and greater market insights. We plan to develop a prototype for integration within our industry partner's website, we will link to its stock database and our initial trial will aim to size a user group, and recommend them items from the partner's stock. Results will be judged upon the user group's feedback, and the webcam-based tool will be re-specified as new knowledge is gained. Qualitative research will also be undertaken on the user experience arising from using a webcam and solutions will be developed to encourage the user, with possible amendments made to account for cultural differences and perceptions on trust and security. The research offers the potential for the project team to research the user experience, which is a significant contributor to the slow take up to date of scanning technology. The project will help to catalyse the uptake of mass-customisation of garments, which is fundamentally a new business model. In this paradigm, garments are produced 'on-demand' for a particular customer's fit and style preferences. This allows the retailer to obtain monies from customers before the products are produced; a 'reverse' of the standard cash-flow dynamics of retail and establishing a very attractive business model for clothing retailers.The project can also develop the efficiencies of the current business models practised by on-line retailers by helping to 'lower the cost of information'. The method that the project is aiming to pioneer can be seen as an efficient way to 'search for clothes' on-line as it helps to match an individual's body with garments that fit that person.

The findings from this research could have significant impact on the fashion industry and development and utilisation of scanning technology for the economic benefit of the sector. Currently, despite a demand from consumers for better fit and easier shopping mechanisms when purchasing online, the only sizing solutions available use traditional manual measurement. Scanning methods, despite being commercialised for some time, present the retailer/consumer with many obstacles; time, use of data, and accessibility all reducing the effectiveness of this technology as a retail tool. If the technology could be developed to overcome these challenges then the potential impact on sales, returns, comfort and fit could be significant, with implications for production/manufacturing, trend/design forecasting, customer retention and marketing for both online and high street retailers. Body scanning using traditional methods in store to match shapes for best fit have already reduced returns at Selfridges for Bodymetrics. It is anticipated that this research, refining the shape/fit, data capture and user experience further could reduce returns for e-commerce by 25% using the data capture methods proposed in this research. This technology could enable manufacturers to adopt new manufacturing methods as personalised shape data gathered in this way could link successfully with pattern production and drive new on-demand digital manufacturing processes. Benefits from the ability to recognise body shape through easy to use technology will affect personalisation and customisation products and services development for a wide group of beneficiaries including those in the fashion industry, retailers, e-tailers, designers, manufacturers, and other industries such as health, medical care and sports. Eg. Manufacturers, brands and retailers will reduce their environmental impact, and improve customer service; prosthetics will be easier to personalise, develop and fit. Research outcomes will have significant benefit for the development of advertising and marketing tools utilising new digital media, with impact on the film and games industries, creative and performing arts. Policy and economic development will benefit as it is likely to offer new economic models and break down barriers to adoption for this type of technology, unlocking new revenue streams, reducing economic costs, environmental and waste impact inherent in the fashion industry today. The research opportunity allows exploration of some of the ethical and psychological barriers around body scanning and video recognition, promoting a user led design process to enhance user adoption. Through knowledge transfer, the research team will develop additional user interface skills and knowledge through the development of the technology and its application with actual users 'in the wild'. This will enable real and significant feedback to influence development and it is anticipated this will progress the likelihood of rapid adoption and impact amongst consumers. The IP gained from this research project will allow Bodymetrics to develop key areas of new knowledge; - Improving the customers on line experience by enabling better fit and less returns - Integration of robust shape data relating to garments for best fit and customised clothing development - Reducing waste and improving efficiencies, sizing strategies, linking metadata to production, logistics and product development/range planning -driving ongoing R&D around made to measure, demand for shape fit, on demand production For Guided the IP gained will allow them to; - Integrating peer to peer feedback into user experience for online shopping - Increasing the relevance of fashion marketing, integrating scanning and entertainment media to more closely meet consumer needs