Self-measuring garment

Abstract

Measurement apparatus includes an elastic fabric, configured as a garment ( 20, 80 ) to be worn over a part of a body of a subject. One or more conductive fibers ( 22, 24, 25, 92, 93 ) are integrated with the elastic fabric to as to stretch together with the elastic fabric when worn over the part of the body. A controller ( 26 ) is coupled to measure an electrical property of the one or more conductive fibers in response to stretching of the elastic fabric, and to output an indication of a dimension of the part of the body based on the measured property.

1 . Measurement apparatus, comprising:
 an elastic fabric, configured as a garment to be worn over a part of a body of a human subject;   one or more conductive fibers, integrated with the elastic fabric to as to stretch together with the elastic fabric when worn over the part of the body; and   a controller, which is coupled to measure an inductance of the one or more conductive fibers, which changes in response to stretching of the elastic fabric, and to output an indication of a dimension of the part of the body based on the measured inductance.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more conductive fibers are attached to the elastic fabric in a zigzag pattern, such that an angle between segments of the zigzag pattern changes in response to the stretching of the elastic fabric, thereby changing the inductance. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , and comprising an elastic fabric strip, wherein at least one of the conductive fibers is attached to the elastic fabric strip, and the elastic fabric strip is attached to the elastic fabric of the garment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the conductive fibers is woven into the elastic fabric strip. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic fabric strip is attached to the garment by the at least one of the conductive fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more conductive fibers comprise multiple conductive fibers arranged along multiple different paths within the garment, and wherein the controller is configured to output indications of multiple dimensions of the part of the body corresponding to the different paths. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the multiple different paths are chosen so that the multiple dimensions are indicative of a shape of the part of the body over which an article of clothing is to be fitted. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a non-elastic area, and wherein the apparatus comprises at least one reference fiber integrated with the non-elastic area of the garment and coupled to the controller so as to provide a reference against which the electrical property of the one or more conductive fibers is measured. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a brassiere. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a sock. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment is configured to be worn over a torso of the human subject. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a wireless communication link and is configured to output the indication of the dimension to a computing device via the wireless communication link. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , and comprising the computing device, which is configured to identify, responsively to the dimension of the part of the body, one or more articles of clothing of a suitable size to be worn by the human subject. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the computing device is configured to present the one or more articles of clothing on a display so as to enable the subject to select at least one of the articles. 
     
     
         15 . A method for fitting, comprising:
 providing a garment comprising an elastic fabric configured to be worn over a part of a body of a subject and having one or more conductive fibers integrated with the elastic fabric so as to stretch together with the elastic fabric, and to output electronically an indication of a dimension of the part of the body in response to stretching of the elastic fabric when worn over the part of the body by sensing an inductance of the one or more conductive fibers, which changes in response to the stretching of the elastic fabric;   receiving the indication of the dimension from the garment; and   identifying, responsively to the dimension of the part of the body, one or more articles of clothing of a suitable size to be worn by the subject.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a message containing the indication, which is transmitted over a network from a computing device, which receives the indication from the garment. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , and comprising storing account details with respect to the subject, and linking the account details to the dimension of the part of the body for use in a sales transaction in which one of the identified articles of clothing is supplied to the subject. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein identifying the one or more articles comprises presenting the one or more articles to the subject on a display along with an order button for selection by the subject. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , and comprising completing the sales transaction, using the stored account details, in response to the selection by the subject of the order button presented with one of the articles, without additional input by the subject in connection with the selection. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein identifying the one or more articles comprises applying the dimension of the part of the body in searching over one or more on-line stores in order to identify the one or more articles of clothing. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a transmission from the garment worn by the human subject in a commercial premises, and wherein identifying the one or more articles comprises presenting to the user an article offered for sale on the commercial premises. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more conductive fibers are attached to the elastic fabric in a zigzag pattern, such that an angle between segments of the zigzag pattern changes in response to the stretching of the elastic fabric, thereby changing the inductance. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the conductive fibers is attached to an elastic fabric strip, and the elastic fabric strip is attached to the elastic fabric of the garment. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein multiple conductive fibers are arranged along multiple different paths within the garment, and wherein sensing the inductance comprises providing indications of multiple dimensions of the part of the body corresponding to the different paths. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the multiple different paths are chosen so that the multiple dimensions are indicative of a shape of the part of the body over which an article of clothing is to be fitted. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the garment comprises a non-elastic area, and wherein the method comprises integrating at least one reference fiber with the non-elastic area of the garment so as to provide a reference against which the inductance of the one or more conductive fibers is measured. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the garment comprises a brassiere. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the garment comprises a sock. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the garment is configured to be worn over a torso of the human subject. 
     
     
         30 . A method for monitoring, comprising:
 providing a garment comprising an elastic fabric configured to be worn over a part of a body of a subject and having one or more conductive fibers integrated with the elastic fabric so as to stretch together with the elastic fabric, and to output electronically an indication of a dimension of the part of the body in response to stretching of the elastic fabric when worn over the part of the body by sensing an inductance of the one or more conductive fibers, which changes in response to the stretching of the elastic fabric;   receiving, at multiple points in time over a monitoring period, the indication of the dimension from the garment; and   tracking, responsively to the received indication, changes in the dimension of the part of the body over time.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein tracking the changes comprises evaluating progress of a program of body-building, fitness training, or weight loss. 
     
     
         32 - 36 . (canceled)