2D/3D thermal mapping for the development of mass-customizable NTS apparel

This paper presents preliminary results of a 2D/3D mapping process via a case study of different garments worn under controlled environmental conditions. During this study, the necessity for 2D/3D mapping became apparent as it was difficult to compare thermal profiles. This difficulty was due to the inability of the subject to reposition himself exactly after each wearer trial. This mapping process was able to overcome previously mentioned difficulties, transforming the different images onto the same coordinate system. New tools and technology are driving industry in the 21 ^st century and encouraging the move towards mass customization. The intersection of diverse fields such as apparel design, engineering, and computer science encourages the sharing of problem solving strategies, resulting in the development of products which provide superior customer value. Athletic clothing, biomedical devices or accessories, protective clothing, "smart" clothing and virtually any type of functional or performance apparel will benefit from the application of this research, making the "portable environment" more like a second skin that serves to protect the body and mediate the various environments into which the body comes into contact.