3Dcopysystems, an Austria based company that specializes in developing and designing 3D scanning systems, has made its American market debut with its large full body scanner, BIG ALICE, at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).
The scanner, BIG ALICE, is a full body scanner capable of digitizing people and large, objects within a few milliseconds and at an accuracy of 1mm or less. 3Dcopysystems made the market debut for its line of ALICE branded full body 3D scanning systems back in 2016. Now after its initial European success, the company has brought its scanner to the American market.
3Dcopysystems plans to take BIG ALICE and its smaller counterpart, little ALICE, on tour to Miami and Philadelphia in the near future.
Coming soon to a shopping mall near you
Co-founded in 2015 by Andreas Schwirtz and Christof Kirschner, 3Dcopysystems has developed and designed 3D scanning systems in order to achieve a faster, more accurate scanning procedure.
BIG ALICE costs €80,000 and comes with an adjustable focal length, 2400 Watt white light, 64 DSLR cameras that can capture still or moving subjects, and dimensions of 5m x 4m x 2.5m, giving it enough space to hold up to 6 people. The scanner can take high resolution, full body3D scans which can be used to measure the body or make digital edits on a design.
BIG ALICE provides fast and accurate scanning, allowing fashion designers to forgo time consuming measurement taking and allowing them to make quick adjustments to designs. It also comes with a high resolution texture map, making the scanner more viable for application in film and video games. Additionally the device can be used for medical purposes, i.e. if a patient requires a customized back brace or other support.
Recently, the BIG ALICE scanner was initially set up at FIT’s interior design and tech lab where students and teachers were able test out how the machine could benefit fashion design. The unit was then brought back for FIT’s Annual Awards Gala, where it was used by a number of fashion designers and models to take high resolution photographs.
“Partnerships with shopping centers and fashion shows are in the cards, and a few international US companies have expressed their interest in cooperating with us.” said Christof Kirschner, co-founder of 3Dcopysystems.
3D scanning and fashion
Several other companies have also started to utilize 3D scanning technology in fashion, such as luxury fashion brand Balenciaga. Demna Gvasalia, the creative director for Balenciaga, took 3D scans of his models’ bodies and then adjusted them in a CAD program to improve the design. Last year, Amazon purchased software company, Body Labs, for its 3D scanner technology, which will allow the user to virtually try on new clothes.
Similarly other companies have begun to create their own brand of 3D full body scanners. Earlier this year, Kodak, in partnership with 3D body scanning technology company, Twindom, launched the KODAK Full Body 3D Scanner, a mobile scanning booth capable of holding up to 14 adults.
When describing how 3Dcopysystems scanners could change the market, Kirschner stated “The extraordinary quality of our high-resolution 3D scans and the associated texture surprised and inspired the fashion experts at FIT and introduced them to new possibilities for the individualization of fashion products,”
“In the medium term it could revolutionize personalized textile production and the online shopping experience.”
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Featured image is the BIG ALICE photo lab. Photo via 3Dcopysystems.
