Systems and methods for measuring body parts for designing customized outerwear

• US 10,016,941 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casca Designs Inc.
• Original Assignee: Feetz, Inc.
• Inventors: Beard, Lucy A., Beard, Nigel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/714,062
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Systems and methods of capturing images of body parts to create a three-dimensional (“3D”) model for designing customized outerwear are provided. Images of a body part are captured by an image sensor on a camera or mobile device from various angles, after which they are combined using an algorithm to generate a point cloud map of the image data which is used to generate a 3D representation of the body part. The 3D model of the body part can then be analyzed to determine any unique features of the body part that will require customized outerwear, such as pressure points, deformities, etc. The 3D model can thus be used to develop highly-customized outerwear for an individual. The 3D model is a digital file which can then be utilized by software to design the customized outerwear and request that the outerwear be manufactured, for example by additive manufacturing on a 3D printer.

Claims

1. A system for forming customized, additively manufactured outerwear for a portion of a body of a user, the system comprising one or more physical computer processors configured by computer readable instructions to:

facilitate, via a user interface presented to the user on a computing device associated with the user, obtaining one or more images of the portion of the body of the user;

generate an electronic model of the portion of the body of the user based on the one or more images, the electronic model comprising a point cloud map of the portion of the body of the user, the point cloud map determined based on the one or more images of the portion of the body of the user;

determine an outerwear design based on the electronic model;

communicate the outerwear design to an additive manufacturing device; and

facilitate forming the customized, additively manufactured outerwear based on the communicated design with the additive manufacturing device,

wherein determining the outerwear design based on the electronic model comprises determining locations of one or more sensors in the outerwear design, wherein each of the one or more sensors is configured to generate output signals associated with at least one of force, pressure, or ambient light, and

wherein determining the outerwear design based on the electronic model further comprises determining the placement of functional channels into the design, the functional channels providing fluidics and/or dynamic sizing of the outwear outerwear based on output signals generated by at least one of the one or more sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that obtaining one or more images of the portion of the body of a user comprises one or more of:

facilitating, via the user interface presented to the user on the computing device associated with the user, capture of the one or more images of the portion of the body of the user with a digital image capture device associated with the user;

or

facilitating, with the user interface presented to the user on the computing device associated with the user, upload of previously captured images of the portion of the body of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the one or more images include at least two images taken from at least two different angles relative to the portion of the body of the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the electronic model is generated using a dynamic shaping algorithm.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the dynamic shaping algorithm facilitates:

generation of the point cloud map of the portion of the body of the user;

providing a three dimensional last that represents dimensions of the portion of the body of the user;

importing the three dimensional last into a three dimensional CAD package for manipulation;

superimposing point cloud data points on a pre-existing digital model of the portion of the body of the user; and

adjusting the last based on the point cloud data points and the pre-existing digital model.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the one or more images are captured using an image capture device that includes or more of a digital camera, a mobile device with an integrated image sensor, a smartphone, a tablet, a webcam, a KINECT sensor, a gaming console, or a scanner.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the one or more images are captured against a grid backdrop.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the portion of the body of the user is a foot and the outerwear is a shoe.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are further configured to analyze the electronic model to determine one or more dimensions of the foot and a determine a design of the shoe based on the determined dimensions, the determined dimensions including one or more of a heel width, a foot width, a location of a beginning of an arch of the user, a location of an end of the arch of the user, or an arch height.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that determining the outerwear design includes determining designs of three or more separate components that are assembled together to form the outerwear, and wherein facilitating forming the outerwear with the additive manufacturing device includes forming the three or more separate components.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that the one or more images are video images.

12. A method for forming customized, additively manufactured outerwear for a portion of a body of a user, the method comprising:

facilitating, via a user interface presented to the user on a computing device associated with the user, obtaining one or more images of the portion of the body of the user;

generating an electronic model of the portion of the body of the user based on the one or more images, the electronic model comprising a point cloud map of the portion of the body of the user, the point cloud map determined based on the one or more images of the portion of the body of the user;

determining an outerwear design based on the electronic model;

communicating the outerwear design to an additive manufacturing device; and

facilitating

forming the customized, additively manufactured outerwear based on the communicated design with the additive manufacturing device,

wherein determining the outerwear design based on the electronic model comprises determining locations of one or more sensors in the outerwear design, wherein each of the one or more sensors is configured to generate output signals associated with at least one of force, pressure, or ambient light, and

wherein determining the outerwear design based on the electronic model further comprises determining the placement of functional channels into the outerwear design, the functional channels providing fluidics and/or dynamic sizing of the outerwear based on output signals generated by at least one of the one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein obtaining one or more images of the portion of the body of a user comprises one or more of:

facilitating, via the user interface presented to the user on the computing device associated with the user, capture of the one or more images of the portion of the body of the user with a digital image capture device associated with the user;

or

facilitating, with the user interface presented to the user on the computing device associated with the user, upload of previously captured images of the portion of the body of the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more images include at least two images taken from at least two different angles relative to the portion of the body of the user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic model is generated using a dynamic shaping algorithm.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the dynamic shaping algorithm facilitates:

generation of the point cloud map of the portion of the body of the user;

providing a three dimensional last that represents dimensions of the portion of the body of the user;

importing the three dimensional last into a three dimensional CAD package for manipulation;

superimposing point cloud data points on a pre-existing digital model of the portion of the body of the user; and

adjusting the last based on the point cloud data points and the pre-existing digital model.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more images are captured using an image capture device that includes or more of a digital camera, a mobile device with an integrated image sensor, a smartphone, a tablet, a webcam, a KINECT sensor, a gaming console, or a scanner.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more images are captured against a grid backdrop.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the body of the user is a foot and the outerwear is a shoe.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising analyzing the electronic model to determine one or more dimensions of the foot and a determining a design of the shoe based on the determined dimensions, the determined dimensions including one or more of a heel width, a foot width, a location of a beginning of an arch of the user, a location of an end of the arch of the user, or an arch height.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the outerwear design includes determining designs of three or more separate components that are assembled together to form the outerwear, and wherein facilitating forming the outerwear with the additive manufacturing device includes forming the three or more separate components.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more images are video images.