Quantifying Fit of Wearable Systems With a Multi-Band, Remote Measurement System

Garment fit is critical in wearable systems and functional clothing, including masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE), and yet no methods exist that can accurately and in real-time quantify their fit characteristics of non-translucent or non-form fitting garments. We propose a technique for remotely measuring the gap between an external wearable device or clothing surface and the underlying, visually-obstructed body surface - which we refer to as the garment-body “air gap” - that commonly occurs in positive ease garments (i.e., garments that are larger in dimension than the underlying body dimension). To do this, we developed a triple frequency band remote measurement system that is based on a millimeter wave radar, an ultrasound sensor, and an infrared distance sensor, which when used synergistically allows for remote measurement of the uniaxial distances to multiple layered surfaces simultaneously. Here this novel, first-generation system is tested and evaluated for the purpose of measuring garment fit.