David Garrido Jaén; Beatriz Mañas Ballester; Sandra Alemany Mut; Carme Gimeno Molla; Daniel Gómez López

Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV) Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) Edificio 9 C. Camino de Vera s/n (46022) VALENCIA (Spain)

Since it was set up in 1976, the Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV) has been distinguished for focusing on the transfer of knowledge and technology. To this end, in 2020, the IBV launched its latest development, MOVE4D, which is innovative and unprecedented 3D scanning technology used to study the shapes of the human body in motion, with a series of specific features that are a breakthrough in the practical use of the digital human modeling in diverse contexts such as digital anthropometry, biomechanics, human factors, health and the production of multimedia content.

As a benchmark of the success of the IBV knowledge transfer and promotion model, this article covers the launch and the setting up of a laboratory, which is based on the technology developed by the Valencian technology center. The Technische Universität Dresden and more specifically the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM), is a prime example of the international scientific and technological significance of the work carried out by the IBV in the last few years.

INTRODUCTION

The Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV), as a leading international technology center in the study of human dynamics, has been distinguished for focusing on the transfer of knowledge and technological development in the different areas of its activity ever since it was set up in 1976.

In the last 40 years, there have been many examples and success stories associated with the IBV in relation to technology transfer, based on the consolidation of its different lines of research and development.

In this sense, the IBV knowledge transfer and promotion model is characterized for being connected through the “biomechanics application” concept, which can be understood as being a technological solution where all the know-how of the IBV concerning methodological aspects, the acquisition and processing of biometric data, the analysis and the interpretation of results is encapsulated; this is all, combined with the latest progress in biomechanics instrumentation and technology.

Figure 1. Aspects of the IBV biomechanics applications, a cornerstone of its technology transfer model

Within this context, the work carried out by the IBV in the field of the digitization of human body shapes, which has been developed over the last few years in a very significant way, has positioned it at the center of Valencian technology as a major international exponent in this field. Proof of this are the numerous national and international projects that it has run, along with its participation in leading international institutions and work groups such as the WEAR platform (World Engineering Anthropometry Resource) and the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), among others.

The work carried out by the IBV on the acquisition of knowledge and the development of new technology associated with the study and digitization of the human body shapes goes back to 2000, when important national studies were carried out consecutively collecting and updating   anthropometric and dimensional data about the Spanish population. This work, together with other international projects, has enabled the IBV to develop its own 3D body shape scanning technology. This development was accompanied by the definition of new methods and algorithms that made it easier and quicker to use the digital anthropometric data, to therefore overcome technological barriers that, until then, had made it impossible to use in specific areas of the industry such as retail, fashion design, the production of individual personal protective equipment or the assessment of certain musculoskeletal disorders.

As a result of this work over more than 20 years, in 2020 the IBV launched its MOVE4D scanner, which is a 3D scanner that can digitize the human body in motion at very high space-time resolutions and it can automatically obtain high-precision, realistic homologous digital models and with unprecedented anatomical data.

Figure 2. MOVE 4D. 4D full body scanner developed by the IBV

The features supplied by the MOVE4D scanner, which is a result of combining the latest advances in AI, computer vision and biomechanics instrumentation, make it an essential asset to carry out ground-breaking research in different fields associated with human factors, anthropometry, motion analysis, digital simulation, as well as the design of customized products and services.

Accordingly, some of the reasons that explain the uniqueness of the MOVE4D technology compared to other scanners can be found in the results obtained from its processing algorithms, which mean that:

• A very high density of anatomical markers while the body is in movement can be automatically detected.

• Homologous watertight meshes for each frame can be generated, without the user having to get involved.

• Any point between 3D frames can be tracked in order to describe the movement (Up to a maximum of 50,000 points).

• More than 100 body measurements can be obtained automatically by using a digital tape measure (A pose, according to the ISO 20685-1 standard).

• The information from different parts of the body can be divided up automatically.

• A skeleton that is compatible with the ISB model (International Society of Biomechanics) can be generated.

• UV maps with homologous textures can be exported.

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MOVE4D: AN ESSENTIAL ASSET FOR LEADING INTERNATIONAL R+D CENTERS

As soon as the system was presented to the international scientific community, many organizations and companies from all over the world became interested in it due to its potential, both in the context of research activities, and also in those associated with using it in the key production processes of the companies involved in product design and customization.

Among all these organizations that the MOVE4D technology has appealed to, it is worthwhile mentioning Technische Universität Dresden (TUD), and more specifically the Professorship of Development and Assembly of Textile Products of the ITM (Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology). It is precisely the ITM, a leading international research center in the development of technology and innovative textile products, specializing in the simulation of high performance textiles, which became a top referential international center in 2020, for having the 4D scanner technology developed entirely by the IBV

Figure 3. Official inauguration ceremony of the ITM body scanner Laboratory (TU Dresden)

As part of this strategic project that updates the technological capacity of the ITM, the MOVE4D scanner soon became one of the cornerstones in which the research and development work of this institute have been joined together, as demonstrated by its current lines of research related to the study of the interaction of human beings with clothing. It is therefore an essential asset in the positioning and world leadership of the ITM in the fields of digitization and the development of virtual products for clothes, as well as the new concepts of high performance technological textiles.

A representative sample of the technological –scientific advances that the ITM has made in the last few months thanks to the 4D scanner technology of the IBV is the fact that in the recent edition of the International Conference Clothing-Body Interaction 2021, among other research projects, technological-scientific applications in areas related with the following were presented:

• Biomechanics, rigging and kinematic models

• Mechanical interaction between clothing and the human body, finite element simulation models and soft tissue modeling techniques

• A study on the thermal comfort in clothing

Other fields associated with the human factors in the design of high performance apparel.

Figure 4. Examples of the scientific applications of the MOVE4D scanner

CONCLUSIONS

The body scanner laboratory at ITM-TU Dresden has undoubtedly been essential in the IBV technology transfer work because it has highlighted the value of the technological research and development activities of the Valencian technology center.

After launching this first international 4D scanner laboratory, many other organizations and companies have confirmed their commitment to MOVE4D scanning technology, in particular international entities from the sports apparel design and distribution sector, defense, health, university research centers that specialize in Big Data, as well as the development and use of the digital human models.

ACKNOWELDGEMENTS

We would like to publically extend our sincerest gratitude to the TU Dresden (TUD) and in particular to the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM) for their interest and trust in the activities carried out by the Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV) in the field of digital anthropometry. We would like to give special thanks to Professor Yordan Kyosev, a specialist in development and simulation of textile products and the head the chair "Development and Assembly of Textile Products" of the ITM, for his professionalism, enthusiasm and precision throughout the project. His commitment and dedication has been decisive in the successful launch of this new and innovative technological infrastructure.

We are also especially grateful to the IVACE (Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) for its support in the IBV activities in this area, including the financing received through the CUSTOM_DHM (IMDEEA/2020/87), 3D BODY DYNAMICS (IMDEEA/2018/58 and IMDEEA/2019/69) and ANT_REGISTRO (IMDEEA/2017/62) projects, which have been the mainstay for the development and the consolidation of the know-how of the IBV in the fields of digital anthropometry for the human body and the use of such in different industrial sectors.