Effect of Wearer Body Reproduction in 3D Simulation on Clothing Comfort Evaluation

Abstract

This study examines the use of simulation technology to evaluate the comfort of upper garments. Current simulation tools allow for avatar pose adjustments to assess clothing comfort during movement; however, discrepancies between simulated and real- world conditions remain unresolved. This research investigates the effect of 3D wearer body reproduction on clothing comfort evaluation. The bodies of ten female participants in two poses (A-pose and F-pose) were 3D scanned, and corresponding avatars were created using simulation software. Differences between the scanned bodies and avatars were calculated using contour lines. Test garments were made for each participant, and clothing pressure was measured both in real-world tests using air packs and in simulations using avatars and pressure maps. Results showed minimal differences between avatars and human bodies in the A-pose, with participants reporting minimal discomfort and actual clothing pressures remaining below 1.2 kPa at all measurement points while simulations often showed 0 kPa. In contrast, significant discrepancies were observed in the F-pose, particularly in the armpit area, where simulated avatars exhibited unrealistic irregularities. In the F-pose, simulated pressures were up to three times higher in some cases. These findings suggest that simulation-based comfort evaluation could be viable for the A-pose. However, for the F-pose, accurate evaluation is hindered by large shape differences around the armpit. This study highlights the need to improve the accuracy of avatar joint modeling to better reflect real human deformation and pressure distribution.