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Virtual fitting rooms for online shoppers

The internet has revolutionised consumer habits and buying patterns and the need for expensive, large storefronts and malls are slowly becoming an overhead.

But even though the consumer has moved to the online model some elements of the shopping experience force the consumer to make a trip to the retailer. An example of this is the fact that one still needs to visit the store or the tailor to carry out trials and fitting of clothes. But not for long — researchers have designed a custom software that lets you try online clothing using Kinect.

Engineering students Cecilia Zhang and Lam Yuk Wong from the Rice University, Texas have devised this unique virtual fitting room for online shoppers. The technique involves using Microsoft Xbox 360 console’s motion sensing input device, Kinect. Using the Kinect one can simply scan the shopper and his or her image effectively gets captured as a mannequin by maintaining all the physical attributes such as dimensions, skin tone and even the hair color. Then the virtual 3D model of the shopper is draped with the chosen clothes to get a feel of the fit and the overall appearance. The model can also be rotated to examine the fit from all sides and angles and can also reveal the presence of creases and wrinkles if they appear. The software, in its current form, devised by Wong and Zhang is programmed to show dresses and shirts while work is on for shorts and other dresses too.

The availability of virtual mannequins for online fitting may be a relief to married couples since the spouse impatiently and reluctantly hangs around while his or her partner is trying one dress after another!

prashant.vadgaonkar@hotmail.com