Today, US retail giant Walmart introduced a new augmented reality (AR) smartphone service that lets customers virtually try on articles of clothing.
The company’s Be Your Own Model application generates real-time 3D (RT3D) digital clothing based on a topographic map created by AI and machine learning algorithms.
Walmart’s Global Tech subdivision for creating bespoke digital and Web3 solutions designed the AR try-on service that employs neural networks to simulate fabric behaviour based on a user’s height and build.
It also utilizes digital twins of clothing to create a realistic try-on simulation experience instead of employing 3D models.
Walmart scanned roughly 270,000 items of woman’s clothing for its application, and shoppers can access the immersive experience via the Walmart iOS application.
Cheryl Ainoa, the SVP of New Businesses & Emerging Tech at Walmart Global Tech, said that Be Your Own Model features immersive technology, which will become crucial for creating more “personalized and engaging” Walmart shopping experiences. The application marks Walmart’s fifth AR update in six months, as the firm explores new ways to enhance the buyer’s journey with Web3 tools.
Walmart’s Immersive Tools
The news comes as the retail giant leverages AR to enhance in-app or in-store shopping experiences.
In June, Walmart also announced updates to its AR retail application for iOS that introduced AR-placement tools for furniture and home decorations. The View in your Space service provides digital twins of approximately 300 products.
Additionally, Walmart’s application uses haptics to enhance the realism of virtual object manoeuvrability. The service also incorporates voice and gesture commands to improve the application for individuals with low vision or disabilities.
A Retail Metaverse
In December last year, Walmart filed a series of applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which covers downloadable software, including digital currency, cryptocurrency, blockchain, and virtual assets.
The firm’s USPTO filings also describe a Metaverse service. Walmart filled for technology relating to a digital space that hosts members in an “online community via a global computer service.”
In a statement at the time, a Walmart representative indicated that not all trademarks would become publicly distributed, noting that only some ideas will become consumer-facing products or services – they added “and some we test, iterate and learn from.”
Walmart has been experimenting with Metaverse-lite solutions since 2014 when the firm released a digital shopping demo as a marketing promo ahead of SXSW 2014.
