In the footwear industry, precision in foot measurement is crucial, especially when it comes to manufacturing custom, made-to-measure, or specialised footwear, such as work shoes. With technological evolution, foot size measurement tools have progressed from simple manual devices to sophisticated digital solutions. These new technologies not only improve fitting accuracy but also optimise the customer experience, particularly in the realm of e-commerce.
In this article, we will explore how these tools have evolved, from traditional methods to advanced AI-Based 3D scanning applications, such as 3D Avatar Feet, which are revolutionising the process of foot measurement and shoe manufacturing.
Difficulties in Shoe Sizes: Challenges for Customers and Manufacturers
Although it may seem a simple task, taking foot measurements for shoe manufacturing is actually a process full of complexities for both customers and manufacturers. An incorrect fit can lead to problems such as discomfort, injuries, or returns, which affects customer satisfaction and generates additional costs for businesses.
Historically, traditional foot measurements have been prone to errors and limitations due to the variability in foot shape and size, complicating the creation of custom footwear. Traditional methods, although useful, are often not precise enough to achieve a perfect fit, especially in the work shoe market, where accuracy is essential to ensure worker safety and comfort.
The difficulties increase even further in the realm of e-commerce, where customers do not have the opportunity to try on shoes before purchasing and must take their own measurements at home, often manually and therefore with an extremely wide margin of error. In this context, returns due to incorrect fit are frequent, posing both an economic and logistical challenge for businesses. It is therefore unsurprising that the footwear industry is in constant search of more precise and efficient measurement methods that not only improve fit but also optimise the shopping experience.
Evolution of foot measuring tools
Over the years, the technology used to measure feet has evolved significantly, moving from rudimentary methods to advanced solutions incorporating artificial intelligence. Let’s take a quick review.
X-Ray fitting
One of the first methods used to measure feet was “X-Ray Fitting”, a device that used X-rays to provide an internal view of the foot inside the shoe. This method, popular in the 1930s and 1940s, allowed customers to see how the shoe fitted the foot’s skeleton. Although innovative at the time, it was eventually abandoned due to the risks associated with radiation exposure, as well as its inability to provide accurate measurements of the external shape of the foot.
The Brannock device
Invented in the 1920s, it has remained in use for nearly a century due to its simplicity and effectiveness. This instrument measures the length, width, and arch length of the foot, providing a basic reference for shoe size.
Despite being a significant advancement compared to previous methods, it has limitations in terms of accuracy, as it does not account for the complete three-dimensional shape of the foot, which can lead to errors in shoe fitting. Although it remains relatively popular as a tool for measuring foot size, it is being surpassed by more advanced technologies.
3D scanners
With the advent of 3D technology in the 1990s, foot size measuring tools experienced a revolution. 3D scanners allow for capturing the complete shape of the foot, providing an accurate digital representation that includes all critical dimensions for a perfect fit. These scanners have been especially useful in custom shoe manufacturing, where every millimetre counts.
The DOMEscan/IBV system is a clear example of this. It is a low-cost physical scanner for shops that, thanks to pioneering technology in the field of human form digitalisation, generates a 3D digital reconstruction of the foot shape, calculates its measurements and recommends a shoe size in just a few seconds.
AI-based 3D scanning applications
The next step in the evolution of foot size measurement tools has been the incorporation of artificial intelligence into 3D scanning, resulting in sophisticated applications that allow users to scan their feet and generate a three-dimensional avatar with precise measurements using just their smartphone.
A clear example of this is 3D Avatar Feet, a mobile application specially designed for foot measuring tool online shopping that allows users to obtain a 3D model of the foot and a collection of more than 20 measurements from three photos that can be easily taken with a smartphone, which are sent and processed in the cloud in a matter of seconds.
This technology offers key benefits in three main areas:
- In e-commerce, it is an online foot measurement tool that allows customers to measure their feet accurately from the comfort of their home, ensuring that footwear purchased online fits perfectly. This not only streamlines the purchasing process but also significantly reduces the time and costs associated with returns.
- In the field of specialised footwear, such as work shoes, where safety and comfort are priorities, this technology provides a competitive advantage by ensuring that each pair of shoes adapts to individual needs, providing a perfect fit.
Keep learning | Safety footwear sizing recommendation based on AI and 3D data
- Furthermore, the ability to collect detailed anthropometric data enables manufacturers to optimise the footwear design and production process, especially in the field of made-to-measure footwear. In this way, they can better understand variations in the shape and size of different people’s feet and create products that better suit individual user needs, rather than relying on standard measurements that may not be suitable for everyone.
In conclusion, the use of advanced digital tools foot measurement has revolutionised the way footwear manufacturers can offer products tailored to individual customer needs, as well as the consumer shopping experience. All of this has led to sophisticated solutions such as 3D Avatar Feet, the most versatile and scalable 3D scanning tool on the market.
There is no doubt that, in a market increasingly oriented towards personalisation and efficiency, the adoption of these new technologies is essential to maintain the competitiveness of your business and offer added value to your customers.