Augmented reality: Virtual Changing Room

"Augmented reality allows the customer to select a garment off the rack without having to try it on physically," according to the creator of the Virtual Fitting Room, AR Door.

A new augmented reality fitting room has installed in Moscow's Top Shop. This device allows customers to try on the clothes without naked and even try on the clothes that going to release soon.

Virtual changing room is getting more popular in nowadays. With a device, Microsoft Kinect, which scan buyer with full body motion with the equipped Kinect camera. Buyer stands infront of the device, and she/he will able to see her/himself in the screen, buyer pose as the outline of body that projected in the screen therefore the device could detect the body sizes of the buyer. After that , a 3D peice of clothing is projected in the screen which follow the buyer's body. Kinect camera that sense and the motion of the buyer. It's not touch screen base but it's hand motion ,buyer can uses their hands and reach to the icon which shows in the screen to switch the new clothes. Buyer can simply moving their hands or arms to the left or right to switch garments. Besides, buyer could also screen shoot of their virtual clothing in the screen.

This concept has apply in others online retailer. However, the uses of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console so that buyer could turn their body around and the clothing will turn with them. 

Resource : 

http://www.sodahead.com/living/would-you-trust-a-virtual-changing-room/question-1800041/?link=ibaf&q=&imgurl=http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001800041/023960811_21abwiw_xlarge.jpeg

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109987-Kinect-Takes-the-Hassle-Out-of-Trying-On-Trousers

A new shopping application called Fashionista has also use something similar concept, available at the site Tobi.com from Zugara and Rich Relevance, that brings augmented reality motion capture. It's an online retailer that allowed buyer to test up the clothes that they added in to the cart in the virtual fitting room. With motion capture interface, buyer should print the marker down and hold it to the nice position which fits the buyer's body and release the marker when it is in a satisfy position. Same concept with the TopShop, buyer can move their arms to the icon for switching another clothes. Other than that, buyer can like or dislike the clothes by moving their arm in to the like or dislike button. Buyer can take a photo of herself and save it or share on Facebook.

However, it's quite trouble with using the marker because it's easy to get the wrong location of the buyer's body position as it is only given 3 seconds.

Resource:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/16/tobicom-fashionista-virtu_n_359674.html

http://www.ideabounty.com/blog/post/2516/

The concept doesn't only use for garments but also accessories.

Then, I found another example, the Boutique Accessaries that using the same concept too but no need the marker to locate the nice position.

Resource: http://www.boutiqueaccessories.com.au/www/701/1001127/1001664.asp#.UeZr9GQpbdJ

Another example that I found is the F&F Virtual Fitting Room by Metail. It's an online retailer that allows user upload their portrait and creates a virtual 3D body in the fitting room for them.  However, user need to move the points in the correct position and enter the measurement of the height, weight, waistline and so on, in order to make a similar face and body shape. By having the virtual 3D body , user could change their hair style and clothes to see whether it's fits them. From that, I found this is more concrete compare with the 3 examples above.

I found this concept is more like a fashion game that usually for kids to play.  :p

Further reading :
http://www.clothingattesco.com/f+f-virtual-fitting-room/page/tesco-virtual-fittingroom/

In conclusion, from the examples that showed above, we know that in nowadays, Virtual Fitting Room is a trend that helps the market of online retailer increase as it's getting more consumers. As Mr Benoff said "The Webcam Social Shopper is an application that turns online clothes shopping into a fun, interactive and inherently social experience" .

Indeed, it's interactive between the device and human that consumers could try out a virtual clothes through the webcam and share on their social network such as Facebook to get some feedbacks from their friends or family before they going to buy.

Daniel Feiler, director of communications for eBay Asia Pacific, said consumers would buy almost anything online if given the right level of information.

He said, "Augmented reality is another tool helping retailers to give their customers even greater confidence when shopping online," From that, although the virtual fitting room is not real but something that close to reality. It's a good way to getting more customers to trust and feel more confidence on their website.

With this media, it can be part of promote fashion. However ,I see that the virtual clothes somehow in the standard size when it projected with the customer. What if the customer with a much more horizontal body, will it shows bigger size of the virtual clothes ? However, through out the video that I showed above , I see that women posing with confidence in front of the webcam. Therefore, confidence is needed other than beauty and sexy when women portrayed in fashion media.

Resource : http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/another-blow-to-retailers-virtual-dressing-rooms-20110809-1ijxa.html

I found an article about the advantage and disadvantage of augmented reality 3D virtual fitting rooms.

Read more :
http://www.sixteen-nine.net/2012/01/13/guest-post-the-good-and-bad-of-augmented-reality-3d-virtual-fitting-rooms/

References:

ARDOORMoscow. (2011) Kinect Fitting Room for Topshop. [Video online] Available at: http://youtu.be/L_cYKFdP1_0 [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

The video that I found interesting and inspire me to blog about it.

Basson, M. (2010) The Fashionista Virtual Dressing Room. [Online] Available at: http://www.ideabounty.com/blog/post/2516/ [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Another example that I show to discuss the virtual changing room.

Benoff, J. (2012) Guest Post: The Good and Bad of Augmented Reality 3D Virtual Fitting Rooms. [Online] Available at: http://www.sixteen-nine.net/2012/01/13/guest-post-the-good-and-bad-of-augmented-reality-3d-virtual-fitting-rooms/ [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

The another articles that for user to have further reading of the advantage and disadvantage of the virtual fitting rooms.

Bosker, B. (2011). Tobi.com Fashionista: Virtual Fitting Room For Online Shoppers (VIDEO). [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/16/tobicom-fashionista-virtu_n_359674.html [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Another example that I show to discuss the virtual changing room.

BoutiqueAccessories. (2011) Virtual Mirror | Try on Jewellery with your webcam at Boutique Accessories. [Video online] Available at: http://youtu.be/2UrnnMtElls [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Another example that I show to discuss the virtual changing room.

Boutiqueaccessories.com.au. (2011) Fashion Accessories by Boutique Accessories. [Online] Available at: http://www.boutiqueaccessories.com.au/www/701/1001127/1001664.asp#.UebI72QpbdK [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Find this website for further information of Boutiqueaccesories.com.

ClothingatTesco. (2012) F&F Virtual Fitting Room by Metail. [Video online] Available at: http://youtu.be/UhYlvCROhck [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Another example that I show to discuss the virtual changing room.

Clothingattesco.com. (n.d.) Clothing at Tesco | F&F Virtual Fitting Room. [Online] Available at: http://www.clothingattesco.com/f+f-virtual-fitting-room/page/tesco-virtual-fittingroom/ [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Find this website for further information of F&F.

Goldman, T. (2011) Kinect Takes the Hassle Out of Trying On Trousers. [Online] Available at: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109987-Kinect-Takes-the-Hassle-Out-of-Trying-On-Trousers [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Further information of the virtual changing room.

Lusey, C. (2011) Would You Trust a "Virtual" Changing Room?. [Online] Available at: http://www.sodahead.com/living/would-you-trust-a-virtual-changing-room/question-1800041/?link=ibaf&q=&imgurl=http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001800041/023960811_21abwiw_xlarge.jpeg [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Further information of the virtual changing room.

Moses, A. (2011) Another blow to retailers: virtual dressing rooms. [Online] Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/another-blow-to-retailers-virtual-dressing-rooms-20110809-1ijxa.html [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Further information of the virtual dressing rooms.

Publigeekaire. (2009) publigeekaire.com / Fashionista - Dressing virtel pour Tobi.com. [Video online] Available at: http://youtu.be/bEHoQBS2dlo [Accessed: 8 June 2013].

Another example that I show to discuss the virtual changing room.