Business Day: Does my virtual bum look fat in this?

Tom Pullar-Strecker writes in Business Day about the potential for 3D body scanners to be used in clothing retail.

The machines are becoming sufficiently affordable that clothing stores (both real and virtual) could use them to help customers select the right clothing.  Some, including Victoria’s Secret, have already invested in the technology.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“Scanners could also be used to make it more practical for people to shop for clothes online, she says. “The technology can be used to drive the generation of a 3-D avatar that represents an individual that could be used for virtual shopping.”

“3-D scanning needn’t necessarily lead to more customised clothing. Ms King says clothing manufacturers can also use scanners for research, to check the typical body shapes of their target markets to help ensure “one size fits all”.”