3D body scanners can be used in a range of application scenarios, from making 3D printed statues to collecting human data, bringing new opportunities for technological development in fields such as medicine, nutrition, and fashion. Below, we take a look at several popular applications and related industries.
3D body scanners for 3D printed sculptures and 3D selfies
One type of life application of 3D scanners is to make human models for 3D printing. Now, people no longer need to go to the local photo studio or automatic photo booth to take family portraits.
However, we can make 3D sculptures for ourselves or our family in 3D scanning halls in shopping malls all over the world, or we can go to a professional 3D scanning/printing facility to do 3D scanning.
3D body scanners for fitness
Another increasingly popular use case among health clubs, gyms, athletes, personal trainers and clients is the tracking of body shape changes to achieve fitness or dietary goals, such as building muscle and reducing fat.
This type of 3D scanner can not only complete the 3D capture of the human body, but also analyze the captured data to extract numerical information including waist circumference, hip circumference, body shape, posture, and weight. In addition, they provide interactive reports of body changes over time, allowing users to visually track the performance of their fitness programs.
Such devices typically don’t capture the color and texture of the human body, and basically focus only on body shape and changes over time.
3D body scanners are used in the fashion industry
The apparel industry has been taking body measurements long before 3D scanners. Until the early 20th century, clothing was largely tailored to the client’s own body shape by professional tailors. By the time of the war, a uniform garment sizing system had emerged, which is still widely used today. While this made great strides in the apparel industry, it was less than ideal, then and now. People come in all shapes and sizes, and one size cannot fit everyone. Although our wardrobes are still dominated by mass consumption, 3D body capture technology is quietly changing this trend.
Apparel brands are starting to use 3D body scanners to provide customized services to their customers, and they don’t want the traditional time-consuming manual measurement methods. It’s no longer fashionable for tailors to circle around customers with tape measures, capturing precise values in seconds and using them to create close-fitting garments.
Some brands are also installing 3D scanners in store fitting rooms, allowing customers to quickly try on clothes, try different colors, and match different accessories—all without leaving the fitting room or putting on or undressing. Other brands are also offering virtual fitting rooms in their online stores to help customers choose the right clothes and try them on without leaving the house. Customers can also upload 3D images of themselves and clothes to try on to see if they fit.
Globally, some countries are using 3D scanning technology to conduct nationwide anthropometric surveys, collecting 3D body scan data to improve sizing systems. Some brands are already doing this.
3D body scanners are used in medical
Medical care is another major area where 3D body scanners can show their talents, improving the accurate measurement and visualization of size, shape, posture, and skin surface. Medical workers, like professional tailors, used to manually measure size and shape, assess health and provide treatment accordingly.
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