This paper describes a shape-changing robotic mannequin. It is designed to imitate shapes of different people to be used in online clothes retail and made-tomeasure garment industry. We discuss the challenges related to creation of a female robotic mannequin and describe the technical solutions. | Journal of Automation and Control Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2013 Construction of a Female Shape-Changing Robotic Mannequin Artur Abels Tartu University Institute of Technology, Intelligent Materials lab, Tartu, Estonia Email: Maarja Kruusmaa Tallinn University of Technology, Center of Biorobotics, Tallinn, Estonia Email: Abstract—This paper describes a shape-changing robotic mannequin. It is designed to imitate shapes of different people to be used in online clothes retail and made-tomeasure garment industry. We discuss the challenges related to creation of a female robotic mannequin and describe the technical solutions. clients and assuring people that a correct choice can be made when buying clothes online. This business model is implemented in a start-up company [1]. It currently provides virtual fitting rooms for online retailers using robotic mannequins. Previously we have concentrated our effort on male mannequins, because they are simplier to design and control. However, women are more active buyers on the internet and even more active when it comes to clothes. For those reasons we have developed also female robotic mannequins. In our previous papers we have discussed the problem on comparing shape of a client to a shape of a mannequin [2]. Then the problem of adjusting the shape of the mannequin to match the shape of the client was addressed [3]. In this article we present the design concept and the prototype of a female mannequin. Index Terms—Robotic mannequin, Humanoid robot, Shape changing robot, Tailoring I. INTRODUCTION The robotic mannequins presented in this paper have been designed to substitute real people during clothes tryon. There are two main applications – made to measure garment industry and online clothes retail. In made to measure garment industry numerous try-ons are needed in order to ensure proper fitting of clothes. This fact limits a choice of a tailor to the .
