Last updated on February 24, 2022

Fast forward to the pandemic-mired 2021, the need to solve the tech-meets-retail challenge heightens more than ever before and is now closer to being resolved too.

What is the Problem?

The problem faced is usually people who like to try before buying, especially when it comes to apparel. Pre-pandemic, the biggest reason for shoppers to visit stores was to touch and try on apparel instead of pressing that Add to Cart button on their devices whileonline shopping.

Maria Rugolo of the NPD Group says that the fitting room is still an excellent opportunity to connect personally with consumers. It is an integral part of the overall shopping experience.This experience doesn’t stop millions of people worldwide from buying clothes online. However, the inability to try on new clothes or other items and imagining yourself flaunting that look is a crucial pain point. It doesn’t matter if the fitting room of your local department store is dimly lit and dingy because its existence helps you make a more informed decision. All of us have checked ourselves out in a fitting room because we can!

Enter: The Virtual Fitting Room (VFR)

Since 2010, companies have been inventing technology that enables shoppers to try on clothes in the comfort of their homes. Tech Giants like Microsoft and Intel, alongside retailers like Levi’s, have latched on to devising a solution via a mixture of artificial intelligence, cameras, augmented reality, and other sensory formats.

Brief Guide to VFR

In this guide, you’ll learn about the developments in the technology of virtual fitting rooms. We want to focus on tech that enables consumers to see dazzling accessories or apparel on their bodies without ever putting anything on.

The functionality of a virtual fitting room depends on many things: investment from retailers, a willing shopper, attractive clothing options, and of course, technology that works. Following are some of the fundamental technologies that power virtual fitting rooms.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is the simulation of intelligence by computers. Today, AI is mainly used to simplify work already done by humans and less to overthrow society in favor of robots. However, most technology inside virtual fitting rooms is a unique form of AI, whether it is machine learning or image recognition.

Augmented Reality (AR): AR is the building block of virtual fitting rooms. The technology enhances the real-time experience by overlaying digital elements within the physical world. The real-time experiences include putting digital clothes, items, and makeup on a user’s image, allowing them to try on the accessories without actually trying them on.

The application of AR tech isn’t limited to one format. For example, many brick-and-mortar fitting rooms use LCD screen Mirrors for wardrobes so shoppers can reflect on them, while others are often app-based features available inside the user’s smartphone.

Cameras: This is probably a novena because something needs to capture the images, right?Depth-sensory cameras, whether smartphone or stand-alone, reflect light off objects back to the camera, making a 3D re-creation that can be measured using depth and distance. Microsoft Kinect camera is an example of this technology, which enables users to go one step further and exercise control using voice commands and physical gestures.

However, most shoppers who engage with tech-related virtual fitting rooms do so through smartphone cameras. Samsung Galaxy to Apple’s iPhones, many smartphones are outfitted with good quality cameras that can process distance, lighting, and depth strong enough to superimpose items onto shoppers’ images. Smartphone-based fitting rooms focus primarily on providing shoppers with an opportunity to try on smaller items like glasses, shoes, hats, or makeup.

Wrap It Up

Now that you have a reasonable understanding of the required technology deployed in enhancing the experience of virtual fitting rooms, we want you to embark on a seamless journey for your online shopping needs. Of course, to do so requires a strong internet connection, and might we recommend checking out Windstream Communications for incredible internet deals.

Author Bio: Hi, I’m Pooja and I’m a passionate Blogger, Freelancer, Writer, and Digital Marketer. and I love tech stuff and games. Gembells, Hotmaillog.