A 3D modelling scanner has been developed to give gym users a photorealistic

image of their body, enabling them to monitor changes over time in relation to exercise and physical activity.

Using technology developed by students at Virginia Tech University, US, VirtualU’s VFit scanner was originally developed for online shoppers to see how clothes would potentially fit them.

However, the company has now decided to switch its focus to the health and fitness industry.

“The amount of data we collect on the human body allows us to calculate biometric measurements that some other technologies in the fitness market can’t – or at least not with the accuracy we can. We saw the immediate impact we could make in fitness,” said Caroline Pugh, co-founder of the business.

Users step inside the scanner and create a profile, before undergoing a 10-second scan. Once it's complete, they can also download an app to view the results or check them online.

The scanner will potentially help gym users monitor progress, while operators will be able to validate their effectiveness by providing physical presentations of positive results at their facilities.

Meanwhile, trainers will also be able to keep track of how beneficial their regimes and workouts are and what impact they are having on their clients.

“For example, personal trainers can use our technology to pinpoint down to the millimetre if someone has gained muscle in a certain area to show that the regimen is working,” added Pugh.

VFit is to be used at a handful of gyms across the south west of Virginia, however the company is looking to expand its offering to other regions across the US.

More information on the technology is available in this year’s second edition of Leisure Management magazine.