The retail industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by personalized shopping experience, and technology, and the growing importance of technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and augmented and virtual reality. In the last three years alone, there have been over 59,000 patents filed and granted in the retail industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Artificial intelligence in retail: 3D garment modeling. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
50+ innovations will shape the retail industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the retail industry using innovation intensity models built on over 126,000 patents, there are 50+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, skin care recommenders, 3D garment modelling, in-store theft monitoring are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Smart checkout, personalized recommendation AI, voice commerce are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas is automated object recognition, which is now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for artificial intelligence in the retail industry
3D garment modeling is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
3D garment modeling involves utilizing specialized 3D modeling software to craft digital versions of garments. These digital models serve the purpose of visualizing the appearance and fit of a garment on specific body types, enabling necessary adjustments to be made before physical manufacturing.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 240+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established retail companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of 3D garment modeling.
Key players in 3D garment modeling – a disruptive innovation in the retail industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to 3D garment modeling
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Leading patent filers in the 3D garment modeling space include eBay, Metail, Omash.com, and Microsoft. The American e-commerce company eBay uses advanced 3D garment modeling technology to generate digital representations of its products, allowing for visual assessments of how a garment appears and fits on specific body types. It also detects modification gestures, enhancing the overall shopping experience for customers.
In terms of application diversity, Archidraw leads the pack, while Tata Motors and The Boeing Co stand in the second and third positions, respectively.
By geographic reach, CLO Virtual Fashion held the top spot, followed by The Boeing Co and Cimpress.
A major advantage of 3D garment modeling is that it enables to create precise digital replicas of garments, facilitating detailed design adjustments and minimizing production waste. Additionally, it helps consumers visualize how a garment will appear and fit, significantly enhancing the online shopping experience, and reducing the possibility of returns. To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the retail industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Retail and Apparel.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
