Periodic Reporting for period 1 - InKreate (Transfer the real 3D world to interactive creative endeavours in apparel industry)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-01-01 do 2018-06-30
Whereas the manufacturing and distribution of apparel industry has advanced in past years with the applications of new CAM and ITC technologies, the design process is still very traditional. Sketching ideas, creating story boards, draping and developing technical drawings (also known as technical sketches) are just some of the tasks that are still being done either in the old-fashioned way or with the aid of digital tools, most of which are spinoff uses of technologies developed for other industries, and not adapted to the necessities of the creative apparel industry.
Tasks that other industries have long replaced with automatic tools are still being carried out manually by teams of specialists, which do not only add to the cost of garment development, but also to the time required to take the garment to the market. The design process is a bottleneck of the current apparel industry’s production cycle.
At the same time, there are emerging technologies that could reduce the timing and the cost of the design process, such as 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools. New low cost 3D scanners have indeed appeared in the market, and could allow a real customization of the clothes design. Moreover, libraries of 3D realistic avatars adapted to the target population of a new clothing collection will be a great improvement for mass production.
However, major problems hold back the application of 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools. The current low cost scanning technologies do not produces 3D avatars ready to use by sketching tools and CAD software.
InKreate solves the problems holding back the implementation of low cost 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools.
Inkreate has developed a tool that address the above mentioned issues by making it possible to sketch over real bodies and in real proportion. Inkreate tool includes:
• A collection of 3D avatars that represents different statiscal body shapes.
• A tool that that creates human 3D body models from existing low cost scanning devices, and ready to use by CAD and 3D design software.
• A sketching tool that relies on manipulation of pre-defined basic shapes. Free hand sketching is available as a complementary tool that the user will use to sketch different design details, pattern pieces, embroideries etc.
Designers are able to design directly over a 3D body shape. Designers can choose a statistical body, convert a body scan or upload a 3D body created in another 3D environment. Inkreate will save development time, will make it easier to manipulate shapes in a 3D environment and will be a great base for future inclusion of 2D pattern development process.
Tasks that other industries have long replaced with automatic tools are still being carried out manually by teams of specialists, which do not only add to the cost of garment development, but also to the time required to take the garment to the market. The design process is a bottleneck of the current apparel industry’s production cycle.
At the same time, there are emerging technologies that could reduce the timing and the cost of the design process, such as 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools. New low cost 3D scanners have indeed appeared in the market, and could allow a real customization of the clothes design. Moreover, libraries of 3D realistic avatars adapted to the target population of a new clothing collection will be a great improvement for mass production.
However, major problems hold back the application of 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools. The current low cost scanning technologies do not produces 3D avatars ready to use by sketching tools and CAD software.
InKreate solves the problems holding back the implementation of low cost 3D scanners and 3D sketching tools.
Inkreate has developed a tool that address the above mentioned issues by making it possible to sketch over real bodies and in real proportion. Inkreate tool includes:
• A collection of 3D avatars that represents different statiscal body shapes.
• A tool that that creates human 3D body models from existing low cost scanning devices, and ready to use by CAD and 3D design software.
• A sketching tool that relies on manipulation of pre-defined basic shapes. Free hand sketching is available as a complementary tool that the user will use to sketch different design details, pattern pieces, embroideries etc.
Designers are able to design directly over a 3D body shape. Designers can choose a statistical body, convert a body scan or upload a 3D body created in another 3D environment. Inkreate will save development time, will make it easier to manipulate shapes in a 3D environment and will be a great base for future inclusion of 2D pattern development process.
Below, it is a more detailed description of the results.
Result 1: Collection of Avatars
The collection of avatars is a collection of statistically derived body shapes. The purpose of the collection is to offer a set of ready-to-use realistic body shapes that could be used as basis for design development. Given the purpose of the collection, statistically available body shapes had to be grouped into a finite number of categories using parameters familiar to designers.
Parameters were selected based on market analysis and experience of the consortium members Grouping was done according to the following parameters:
• Body size (related to body mass index and fitness status).
• Body shape (related to skeleton structure).
• Body height (average and tall).
• Body pose (commonly used poses in traditional design development).
The resulting collection is made up of 32 female and 24 male high-resolution watertight meshes representing body shapes in four poses, adding up to 224 avatars. The complete collection will be included in the final version of InKreate software.
Result 2: 3D generation software
The 3D generation software is designed to enable designers to automatically generate simulation-ready avatars from raw body scans. The purpose of the 3D-3D service is to facilitate automatic conversion of raw body scans into simulation-ready avatars, which will be used for design development.
Raw body scans are dense and unorganised meshes made up of hundreds of thousands of points containing many undesirable artefacts, especially in areas that are not reachable by 3D scan sensors. Typical errors include “holes”, surface noise and additional material (e.g. bumps, bridges, etc.). As such, raw body scans are unusable in CAD/CAM or other simulation environments. N When simulated, fabric follows the object’s topography, falls into holes and tends to get stuck in areas not read as part of the object. What’s more, occlusion or shadow areas often appear connected and do not allow for expected simulation results.
Result 3: 3D Sketching Tool
“The Tool” is a standalone software package intended to facilitate a fashion designer – pattern maker communication by allowing a quick garment prototyping.
The tool’s installation package includes a library of realistic avatars developed by IBV and a basic set of predefined models, textures and trims.
The tool can be downloaded from the Internet as one single file and can be installed using a standard installation process.
The Tool can be used to create realistic design prototypes thus saving time and costs of the designer – pattern maker interaction.
Result 1: Collection of Avatars
The collection of avatars is a collection of statistically derived body shapes. The purpose of the collection is to offer a set of ready-to-use realistic body shapes that could be used as basis for design development. Given the purpose of the collection, statistically available body shapes had to be grouped into a finite number of categories using parameters familiar to designers.
Parameters were selected based on market analysis and experience of the consortium members Grouping was done according to the following parameters:
• Body size (related to body mass index and fitness status).
• Body shape (related to skeleton structure).
• Body height (average and tall).
• Body pose (commonly used poses in traditional design development).
The resulting collection is made up of 32 female and 24 male high-resolution watertight meshes representing body shapes in four poses, adding up to 224 avatars. The complete collection will be included in the final version of InKreate software.
Result 2: 3D generation software
The 3D generation software is designed to enable designers to automatically generate simulation-ready avatars from raw body scans. The purpose of the 3D-3D service is to facilitate automatic conversion of raw body scans into simulation-ready avatars, which will be used for design development.
Raw body scans are dense and unorganised meshes made up of hundreds of thousands of points containing many undesirable artefacts, especially in areas that are not reachable by 3D scan sensors. Typical errors include “holes”, surface noise and additional material (e.g. bumps, bridges, etc.). As such, raw body scans are unusable in CAD/CAM or other simulation environments. N When simulated, fabric follows the object’s topography, falls into holes and tends to get stuck in areas not read as part of the object. What’s more, occlusion or shadow areas often appear connected and do not allow for expected simulation results.
Result 3: 3D Sketching Tool
“The Tool” is a standalone software package intended to facilitate a fashion designer – pattern maker communication by allowing a quick garment prototyping.
The tool’s installation package includes a library of realistic avatars developed by IBV and a basic set of predefined models, textures and trims.
The tool can be downloaded from the Internet as one single file and can be installed using a standard installation process.
The Tool can be used to create realistic design prototypes thus saving time and costs of the designer – pattern maker interaction.
With regards the impacts expected at the beginning of the project, InKreate will contribute to the impacts described below.
Impact 1: Innovative solutions with high market potential ready to be deployed by European creative industries SMEs
InKreate has developed the first tool for 3D Sketch for the apparel industry and furthermore, InKreate combines the first tools that create human 3D body models from existing low-cost scanning devices, and ready to use by CAD and 3D design software.
Users are able to choose a statistical body, convert a body scan or upload a 3D body created in another 3D environment.
Impact 2: Stronger collaboration between ICT innovative technologies providers and creative industries SMEs to improve the competitive position of the European creative industries
InKreate connects providers of 3D technologies (scan technologies and 3D software) with creative apparel SMEs. Now, the designers can upload a scan from different low-cost devices and the InKreate tools transform the scan in a ready-to-use avatar compatible with any CAD tool. The designer does not need to spend time transforming the scanned object in watertight 3D mesh without errors or holes. InKreate contributes to saving time and errors during the process design of clothing collections.
Impact 3: Support creative industries SMEs in leveraging emerging ICT technologies
InKreate leverages the emergent 3D scan technologies for the apparel industry.
Impact 4: Includes support to the establishment of a structured dialogue between creative people and technology developers and to the integration of artists into research and innovation projects
InKreate has involved creative apparel designers. Five creative SMEs and three associations represent the designers in the project from three of the most relevant European countries of the apparel industry (Rumania, Spain and Portugal).
The designers participated actively with the pilots and produced very valuable information to improve the software and 3D tools developed in the project.
Impact 1: Innovative solutions with high market potential ready to be deployed by European creative industries SMEs
InKreate has developed the first tool for 3D Sketch for the apparel industry and furthermore, InKreate combines the first tools that create human 3D body models from existing low-cost scanning devices, and ready to use by CAD and 3D design software.
Users are able to choose a statistical body, convert a body scan or upload a 3D body created in another 3D environment.
Impact 2: Stronger collaboration between ICT innovative technologies providers and creative industries SMEs to improve the competitive position of the European creative industries
InKreate connects providers of 3D technologies (scan technologies and 3D software) with creative apparel SMEs. Now, the designers can upload a scan from different low-cost devices and the InKreate tools transform the scan in a ready-to-use avatar compatible with any CAD tool. The designer does not need to spend time transforming the scanned object in watertight 3D mesh without errors or holes. InKreate contributes to saving time and errors during the process design of clothing collections.
Impact 3: Support creative industries SMEs in leveraging emerging ICT technologies
InKreate leverages the emergent 3D scan technologies for the apparel industry.
Impact 4: Includes support to the establishment of a structured dialogue between creative people and technology developers and to the integration of artists into research and innovation projects
InKreate has involved creative apparel designers. Five creative SMEs and three associations represent the designers in the project from three of the most relevant European countries of the apparel industry (Rumania, Spain and Portugal).
The designers participated actively with the pilots and produced very valuable information to improve the software and 3D tools developed in the project.