Scanner for better fitting clothes coming to malls

Have a tough time figuring out what size to grab off the rack to take into the fitting room? Northbrook Court, Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg, Water Tower Place in Chicago and Orland Square in Orland Park are expected to be among the first malls in the Midwest to install a scanning kiosk to help consumers more quickly find better-fitting clothes.

The Me-Ality scanner, from Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Unique Solutions Design Ltd., said a scanner is expected on the lower level near Lord & Taylor in Northbrook Court and another on Level 6 at Water Tower by December. Orland and Woodfield each could get one by late December. About 160 scanners are expected to be installed at malls nationwide by late 2012, said Tanya Shaw, president and CEO of Me-Ality.

“Think of it as a Google search, but for clothing,” said Shaw.

Shaw owned a clothing design company in Canada and was amazed at the number of women customers who tied their self-esteem to the size number printed on the clothing tag. And that number could be size 8, size 10 or even a size 12 and still fit, depending on the style and brand. That kind of discrepancy in sizing also frustrates a lot of shoppers trying to navigate the malls, hoping to get the best fit for jeans, suits and other items.

“If there was a way people just could be themselves, instead of assigning a number to themselves, it would be much easier,” she said.

So, she set out to help consumers more easily navigate retail stores and brands, aiming to streamline the way we buy clothes.

She developed the Me-Ality kiosk, where a consumer goes fully clothed inside the kiosk and is scanned from head to toe in about 10 seconds. The scanner uses millimeter wave, a low-powered radio frequency, she said.

The service, which is free to the consumer, includes a report that offers sizes, styles, brands and where to buy what they're seeking at that mall. If a particular brand or store name shows up on the report, then those companies pay a fee to Me-Ality.

While women mostly used the kiosks installed at four malls in Georgia and Pennsylvania, more men are becoming interested in using them, Shaw said.

“This helps consumers to navigate what's in the marketplace,” Shaw said.

Surfing: Snaptracs Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm with offices in Evanston, has launched its first consumer device called Tagg: The Pet Tracker. The device attaches to an existing collar and uses GPS and wireless capabilities to keep owners in touch with their pets. You'll get notified by email and/or text if your pet leaves its Tagg zone, also known as your home, yard or other designated area. It's designed for dogs and cats over 10 pounds.

Ÿ Nokia Siemens Networks, which has its U.S. headquarters in Arlington Heights, won Best of LTE Core Network Product at the LTE North American awards ceremony Tuesday in Dallas. LTE is the industry acronym for long term evolution or high-speed wireless delivery for your mobile devices. Nokia Siemens' system is part of that broadband experience and used by about 90 wireless companies worldwide.

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