Buying shoes and clothes online, while it is more convenient, it also means being sure about your measurements and also being very aware of how different sizes are for each brand. While you might be able to get away with some alterations when it comes to clothes, that is not possible with shoes.
However, since online shopping has seen a significant increase during the pandemic, it seems like a lot of shoe and clothing companies are interested in further investing in it. Enter Volumental, who plans to launch an app that will be able to 3D scan its users’ feet and recommend the right shoe size for them.
Volumental might sound familiar to you because you’ve probably seen the company’s proprietary scanner in the shops of footwear retailers like Adidas, Bauer, Road Runner, Allbirds and others. The scanner, which consists of four sets of cameras and sensors, takes detailed measurements of the customer’s feet, which allows the employees to recommend shoes fit for the way they step and for other physiological traits.
It’s thanks to all the data that has been collected through all those scanners that Volumental has now reached the stage where it can produce an app that can deliver the same service. The app makes use of the mobile phones’ augmented reality software and creates a 3D model of the users’ foot which is then compared to information in their database.
“One of our strengths, and what sets us apart, is that we have so far scanned close to 10 million people around the world with our retail scanners, and we are in like 42 countries around the world.” Volumental CTO and co-founder Alper Aydemir said.
However, there is one issue: only iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max users will be able to actually use the app, as both feature sensors such as LiDar. There is promise that the app will become compatible with older iOS devices and later on become available on Android as well. But, for now, Volumental decided it has to begin with the latest Apple flagship.
“It has the best CPU, it’s the fastest-running, so it makes sense to start from there and get everything working really nice before you tackle everything else,” Aydemir said about the device. “That’s what I’ve seen in my career is the best strategy: you make one thing work really really well before you try to depend on different things at the same time.”
He added that we are “almost in this MySpace era of e-commerce. You just get the same brand product page no matter what it is. But when it comes to running shoes or shoes in general and apparel, it has to fit you. Our goal is to make people love their fit.”
It sounds exciting and we all know the development of apps like this will save us a lot of hassle, even if it means you’ll have to wait for a while to get it. Unless you’re the lucky possessor of an iPhone 12 Pro, that is.
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