By Roland Piquepaille
In this article, BBC News reports that Toshiba is working with a Japanese software company to create a 3-D fashion simulator that will allow virtual modelling and coordination of clothes, cosmetics and accessories in real time. This means that by as early as 2006, you will no longer have to contortion yourself in a minuscule fitting room.Video cameras snap the shopper, then clothes and accessories are selected and displayed immediately.
The process of turning the images of the shopper into photo-realistic avatar -- or virtual representation -- happens in real-time.
This means the system, which Toshiba is jointly working on with Osaka-based Digital Fashion, could cut down unnecessary time wasted wriggling in and out of garments, and prevent impatient finger-tapping of waiting friends and partners.
The software is under development, but previous applications show real promises.
Here is an example coming from one of Digital Fashion customers, RNA Inc. in which you start with a naked model and you add clothes and accessories (Credit: Digital Fashion and RNA Inc.).
Then, you can change the background and adapt clothes and accessories to this new environment (Credit: Digital Fashion and RNA Inc.).
Toshiba thinks it also will boost online shopping and seduce even men.
More likely, if a man walks into a tailor, he could choose a suit style from a database, stand in front of a display, and see his realistic avatar dressed in his selection.
"If he raises his arm, the image will raise its arm, and the virtual suit will also follows this movement, with the realistic creasing and shadowing as it does," said Mitsuo Saito, chief research fellow at Toshiba.
For more information, you can read this Toshiba press release.
You also can watch movies by visiting this Digital Fashion gallery.
Sources: BBC News, January 27, 2004; and various websites
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