Measurement scanning software to improve online fashion shopping

Friday, November 23, 2012 - 09:46 by Sarah Collinson

The idea of using a virtual fitting room to try on clothes and see what they look like before you buy them, via safe shopping online, is not a new one, but it seems there are a number of different ways to go about it.

A new project, conducted at the London College of Fashion, is hoping to weigh into this market by using camera technology and scanning software, to work out the physical measurements of consumers and then use this information to help them choose clothing in the right size.

The work is being carried out in conjunction with Bodymetrics, which is a company that already has some experience in this area.

For example, it has established a number of body scanners at bricks and mortar retailers in the US, harnessing the depth perception capabilities of Microsoft's Kinect videogame peripheral, to help analyse the shape and size of customers before giving them the correct fitting advice.

Bringing this to the world of safe shopping online would help to take the guesswork out of the process of buying fashion items and accessories.

Millions of people across the UK purchase their clothes from e-commerce sites, but recent studies have shown that many end up sending back items, because they do not fit. There is even the common practise of ordering two versions of the same garment in different sizes and then returning the least suitable option.

With accurate body scanning software, this might be a thing of the past, although at the moment it is unclear whether average households would have the right technology to get the job done.

Having said that, more and more devices, from laptops and smartphones to games consoles, are coming with accessories that allow for in-depth camera functionality, which makes it a future viability.