Initial validation of point cloud data from a 3D body scanner

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to validate the accuracy of point cloud data generated from a 3D body scanner. Design/methodology/approach - A female dress form was scanned with an X-ray computed tomography (CT) system and a 3D body scanning system. The point cloud data from four axial slices of the body scan (BS) data were compared with the corresponding axial slices from the CT data. Length and cross-sectional area measurements of each slice were computed for each scanning technique. Findings - The point cloud data from the body scanner were accurate to at least 2.0 percent when compared with the CT data. In many cases, the length and area measurements from the two types of scans varied by less than 1.0 percent. Research limitations/implications - Only two length measurements and a cross-sectional area measurement were compared for each axial slice, resulting in a good first attempt of validation of the BS data. Additional methods of comparison should be employed for complete validation of the data. The dress form was scanned only once with each scanning device, so little can be said about the repeatability of the results. Practical implications - Accuracy of the point cloud data from the 3D body scanner indicates that the main issues for the use of body scanners as anthropometric measurement tools are those of standardization, feature locations, and positioning of the subject. Originality/value - Comparisons of point cloud data from a 3D body scanner with CT data had not previously been performed, and these results indicate that the point cloud data are accurate to at least 2.0 percent.