Cary, N.C.-based [TC]2 -- a provider of technology development and supply chain improvement solutions for the apparel, sewn products and related soft goods industries -- reports its 3D scanners and software are being utilized by United Kingdom-based Select Research Ltd. in its patented process to generate a Body Volume Index (BVI), a new measurement for healthcare applications.
The process involves measuring a human body's shape in 3D to generate a BVI, which is based on body volume and allows for calculation of weight and fat distribution, as opposed to the current manual de facto risk measurement -- Body Mass Index (BMI) -- which is based on body mass and only takes into account height and weight.
[TC]2 will manufacture 3D scanners -- soon to be rolled out in the U.S. market and elsewhere -- that will be embedded with BVI software and sold to hospitals, walk-in centers and private surgeries to create a network of scanners. In addition, a BVI remote scanning system will enable scanning in other non-hospital environments, and will have the potential to deliver data for collection globally on a scale similar to that currently offered by BMI.
"It has taken nearly 20 years for the apparel industry to move away from the tape measure as the core instrument of measurement and it may take a while for healthcare to adapt from manual to automatic measurement, but we recognize the importance of leveraging this proven technology into healthcare," said Mike Fralix, president and CEO, [TC]2. "The new BVI body shape reference model has the potential to modernize and improve data collection of measurements in healthcare and offers patients a better indicator of potential health risks in the future."
Research will continue at Aston University, Heartlands NHS Hospital, University of Hull, Select Research and the Mayo Clinic, along with other U.S. institutes and organizations, to make sure BVI becomes more statistically significant for different ethnic, age and gender groups.
