Data solution made to measure for creative SMEs
The Morpheos (MORPHotype EcOSystem – design remote definition based on big data morphology and use ecosystem for creative industries) project has developed a downloadable app, supported by an e-platform, that enables creative businesses to develop tailored products, from clothes to office chairs. Two project partners – one in fashion and the other in interior design – have successfully piloted the concept, and other businesses have expressed interest. “We’re very excited about the potential,” says Morpheos project coordinator Jose Antonio Tornero from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain. “From a technical point of view the system is incredibly accurate in extracting exact measurements and guarantees the confidentiality of the user.” The procedure itself is very simple: customers download the app from the Apple store; enter their age, weight and gender; and then take two photos, one from behind and another from the side. The app then transforms these two images into an outline and is able to extract exact measurements. The image is then deleted. Any company wishing to access a customer’s data requires their authorisation. “The process might be simple, but the technology behind this app is incredibly complex,” says Tornero. “And everything is designed to ensure that there is no confidential information out there. No one is going to have your picture.” Creative solutions The concept addresses a number of challenges that creative SMEs face. Many do not have access to as much market information as larger companies, which can put them at a competitive disadvantage. Businesses that use fabrics for example – such as in fashion and furnishing – often need to place orders for colours a year in advance. Creative SMEs are also at a disadvantage when it comes to measurements. A Spanish fashion start-up looking to expand abroad for example cannot simply enter the Dutch market without conducting surveys and accessing statistics, because average sizes are different. This can be a time-consuming and expensive undertaking. “Very often, people will buy two or three sizes of an item and then return the sizes that don’t fit,” adds Tornero. “While this method of shopping might work for the consumer, it is the SME that has to pay for the extra postage. The Morpheos solution directly addresses this issue.” By enabling customers to simply download an app and follow the instructions, the amount of returned goods will be significantly reduced. “This is also about the sustainability of the sector,” says Tornero. “Returned goods like clothes and office furniture generate a huge amount of unnecessary transport and CO2 emissions.” Unleashing innovation The app, together with the online platform on offer, will also enable companies without access to huge amounts of financing to be truly innovative. From fashion and protective clothing designs through to racing bikes and interior furnishings, a downloadable app that takes exact measurements will help businesses to deliver bespoke products. “We’ve only started to address the potential of this application,” says Tornero. “We are confident that other sectors offering made-to-measure concepts, which also face issues to do with data protection, will find our platform very useful. It means that there is no need for businesses to collect data themselves.” The Morpheos app will be marketed under the commercial brand ISizeYou, with a spin-off company formed to focus on the commercial side of things. The consortium is confident that business will take off following project completion at the end of 2018.
Keywords
Morpheos, SMEs, data, e-platform, technology, app, measurements, creative, design, ISizeYou
