NSF Award
9961286
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of a high-performance, low-cost, computer-aided garment design and pattern flattening (GDPF) system. Using a new three-dimensional (3D) camera technology, the GDPF system would enable the custom fit of apparel. Since the human body is inherently a 3D object with complex shapes and dimensions, the design and production of garments, shoes, hats, and other apparel products must fit. That is, the 3D shape of the apparel piece must match the body shape, style, and fashion selection of individual customers. Since no two human bodies are exactly the same in their 3D dimensions, the first critical step in the custom fit apparel design is to obtain 3D body shape measurements for individual customer. Today, almost all existing garment computer-aided design (CAD) systems only use 2D manual measurements as their input and 2D representation in their designs. Phase I will examine the use of the new 3D imaging technology in providing 3D specifications for CAD software.<br/><br/>Potential commercial applications are anticipated in the garment and fashion industries.
