Wearable Capacitance Sensor for Apparel Size Measurement

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing size measurement techniques, such as anthropometric measures, can be inaccurate due to variability among measurers and require specialized techniques, making it difficult for users to accurately determine their body size for purchasing apparel.

Innovation Solution

A size measurement system comprising a wearable apparatus with extensible measurement sensors arranged in a lattice or band/ring shape, connected to a user terminal and management server, which measures physical changes in capacitance to determine body size and shape, and matches these measurements to appropriate apparel sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional anthropometric measures are used, then measurement can be performed with simple tools, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to variability among measurers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of measurement operationVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement with electrical measurement sensors that automatically detect body dimensions. The measurement sensors include conductive fibers integrated into elastic fabric, which measure electrical properties (resistance, capacitance, or inductance) that change with stretching, eliminating human error and variability in manual measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement apparatus enables users to perform self-measurement without requiring specialized measurement skills or external measurers. The automated sensor system and control unit process measurements independently, allowing any user to accurately measure their own body parts by simply wearing the apparatus

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If specialized measurement techniques are required, then measurement accuracy may improve, but ease of operation deteriorates as users need specialized knowledge

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidease of measurement operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement apparatus enables users to perform self-measurement without requiring specialized measurement skills or external measurers. The automated sensor system and control unit process measurements independently, allowing any user to accurately measure their own body parts by simply wearing the apparatus

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement with electrical measurement sensors that automatically detect body dimensions. The measurement sensors include conductive fibers integrated into elastic fabric, which measure electrical properties (resistance, capacitance, or inductance) that change with stretching, eliminating human error and variability in manual measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If manual measurement methods are used, then device complexity remains low, but measurement reliability deteriorates due to human variability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of measurement deviceVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement with electrical measurement sensors that automatically detect body dimensions. The measurement sensors include conductive fibers integrated into elastic fabric, which measure electrical properties (resistance, capacitance, or inductance) that change with stretching, eliminating human error and variability in manual measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement apparatus enables users to perform self-measurement without requiring specialized measurement skills or external measurers. The automated sensor system and control unit process measurements independently, allowing any user to accurately measure their own body parts by simply wearing the apparatus

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables users to easily and accurately measure their body size and shape without specialized techniques, facilitating the selection of matching apparel by converting capacitance data into physical measurements and searching for compatible merchandise.

Implementation Method 1

measurement sensor that measures a physical change amount based on a change in electric characteristic

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance change: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP3590373B1Size measurement device and size measurement system

Publication Date: 2024.04.10 ZOZO INC

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AI summary

[Problem] There are provided a size measurement apparatus and a size measurement system that even a user who has no specialized measurement technique can easily handle. [Solution Means] A size measurement system includes a size measurement apparatus (10) configured to be attached to a body of a user to measure a size and the like of the body of the user and output sensor measurement information representing the measured size and the like, a user terminal (20) configured to be operated by the user who measures the body, and a management server (30) configured to manage size information, shape information, and the like of apparel merchandise and provide merchandise search result information that is user size information as body size information of the user based on the sensor measurement information and information concerning merchandise matching the size.