Comparison of Anthropometric Measurements by the Body Volume Index App and Online Server to a White Light 3D Body Scanner ([TC]2 NX16)

Accurate 3D body scanning has multiple uses: commercial (e.g. clothing sizing); fitness (e.g. assessing body change) and medical (e.g. assessing obesity). The latter is particularly important given the significant impact of obesity on hospitalization and mortality for patients with COVID‐19 infections 1, 2; and as it offers more appropriate assessment of obesity than body mass index (BMI)3. Commercial body scanners are specialized and expensive pieces of equipment, and hence have limited potential to offer mass population body scanning to assist in medical research and provide clear indications of obesity extent to inform individual’s health-risk mitigation decisions. Commercial 3D body scanner data can be problematic due to body capture and landmark identification 4, 5, 6. Han and Nam also report between 0.33mm and 37.7mm overestimation in the crotch, arm pit, neck (front, side and back) and shoulder regions. Gill et al.7 explore waist placement (small of the back +2cm is most accurate to a manual waist) as do Gill and Parker8 who also look at hip measurement differences - finding a +0.5cm to -2cm difference due to posture. Standing position also leads to an underestimation of breast volume by 7-10%. Such measurement issues also make accurate obesity assessment though commercial body scanners problematic. The Body Volume Index (BVI) app and online server system has been created using body volume technology developed by a UK company, Select Research Ltd, which incorporates the [TC]2 3D measurement software; the same software used to create a 3D model, extract and compile body measurements. The [TC]2 3D measurement system is the same software used on the full-body 3D body scanner. The on-line body volume system seeks to offer more accurate, inexpensive and abundant 3D body scanning – enabling mass use within the wider population through easily deployable smart phone use, making use of camera functionality. Should the BVI app and online server system offer such outcomes, it has significant potential to propel obesity assessment and other body measurement applications within a wider population and on a wider geographical basis, due to the prevalence of smartphones