3D Foot Feature Mapping for Accurate Custom Footwear Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual analysis of foot features for customized footwear or medical diagnosis is time-consuming and prone to inaccuracies, requiring expert involvement that slows down production.
Innovation Solution
An automated engine analyzes a 3D representation of a foot to generate an output representation of features, including metatarsal bones, heel portions, and arch, using a 3D scanner and machine-readable instructions to identify key points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual analysis by experts is used to identify foot features, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but productivity decreases and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical analysis system with an automated image processing system. The system uses digital images of the foot, applies processed images with enhanced contrast and edge detection, and automatically identifies feature locations through coordinate extraction, eliminating the need for manual expert analysis while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the foot through imaging (photographing or scanning) and then performs all measurements and feature identifications on this copy. This allows multiple analyses to be performed on the same digital copy without requiring repeated manual examinations, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If manual analysis by experts is used to identify foot features, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual expert analysis with automated image processing that rapidly identifies foot features. The system processes digital images through enhancement and edge detection algorithms to automatically locate metatarsal heads, heel, and arch positions, dramatically reducing the time required while maintaining precision through consistent algorithmic application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary image processing steps (contrast enhancement, edge detection, and feature marking) on the digital foot image before final measurement extraction. This preliminary automated processing prepares the data in advance, allowing rapid and accurate feature identification without requiring time-consuming manual analysis at the measurement stage.
3Productivity
If automated image processing is used to identify foot features, then productivity increases and time consumption decreases, but measurement precision may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual analysis with an automated system that uses image processing algorithms to identify foot features. The system enhances image contrast, detects edges, and automatically determines feature locations through coordinate extraction, providing consistent and reproducible measurements that maintain precision while enabling high-speed automated footwear production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates detailed digital copies of the foot through high-resolution imaging and processing. These digital copies preserve all necessary anatomical details and can be analyzed multiple times with different processing parameters to ensure accurate feature identification, maintaining measurement precision while enabling rapid automated production workflows.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a system receives an input three-dimensional (3D) representation of a foot, and analyzes the input 3D representation of the foot to identify first points corresponding to metatarsal bones of the foot. Based on locations of the first points corresponding to the metatarsal bones, the system identifies a second point corresponding to a heel of the foot, and generates, based on the first points and the second point, a representation of features of the foot.