This scanner’s got your measure

Feebearing - Cape Town - 150227 - CPUT launched a 3D Body Scanner that will assist shoppers in finding the correct fitting clothes. In connection with German Prof. Michael Ernst the system is completely portable and will be used to document the many different shapes and sizes of the South African population. Pictured: Daniel Abrahams, lab technician, being scanned with his scantron on display behind him. REPORTER: ILSE FREDERICKS. PICTURE: WILLEM LAW.

Feebearing - Cape Town - 150227 - CPUT launched a 3D Body Scanner that will assist shoppers in finding the correct fitting clothes. In connection with German Prof. Michael Ernst the system is completely portable and will be used to document the many different shapes and sizes of the South African population. Pictured: Daniel Abrahams, lab technician, being scanned with his scantron on display behind him. REPORTER: ILSE FREDERICKS. PICTURE: WILLEM LAW.

Published Mar 2, 2015

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Cape Town – A portable 3D body scanner at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) will help frustrated shoppers who battle to find clothes for their body shape to buy garments that fit like a glove.

Instead of using a traditional tape measure, staff at CPUT can use the machine to scan a person’s body and generate up to 44 measurements in a few seconds.

The scanner, the only portable one in South Africa, is then able to create an avatar of the person – a scanatar – on a computer, which can be “dressed” in virtual garments.

“Without sewing one garment we can see what it looks like on you. This will improve the product development process,” said Shamil Isaacs, manager of CPUT’s technology station: clothing and textiles, at the university’s Bellville campus.

Isaacs said the new scanner arrived from Germany in January and while the university had an older scanner it was not portable and the institution found it difficult to get people to come to the campus for scanning.

When disassembled the machine can fit into a golf bag and can be taken to malls, for example, where a large number of people can be scanned quickly.

“If we scan a number of people we will be able to get more accurate data on what the South African population’s body shape is. With more data collected we will have better-fitted garments.”

Isaacs said that during a study in Germany thousands of people were scanned over a number of months to come up with a more accurate sizing chart for their population.

He said the scanner could be used for specific markets. A group of rugby players, could for example, could be scanned to create a jersey that is the perfect fit for their body shape.

The scanner, which was sponsored by the Technology Innovation Agency, was launched last week and Isaacs said three companies had already shown interest in working with the university.

Professor Michael Ernst from the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in Germany and a visiting professor at CPUT, provided training in the technology to staff last week.

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