Development of a Design Protocol for Customized Swimming Goggles Using 3D Facial Scan Data

Abstract

Most swimmers’ goggles leak water during swimming. Leakage occurs because the swimming goggles do not fit the facial structures of the user properly, and, therefore, do not create an effective seal on the face. Furthermore, to create a tighter seal, swimmers overtighten the fastening strap causing discomfort on the eyes due to increased pressure. The present study is intended to develop customized swimming goggles using a 3D facial scan of the swimmer. A 3D hand-held scanner was utilized to scan the face of an individual participating in this study. The scanned data were then used to design customized swimming goggles in a CAD tool. The designed swimming goggles can be fabricated from the CAD design with a 3D printer. The customized swimming goggles involve developing a new strapping method in addition to individualized facial scan to improve wearing comfort. The validation process entails testing the water proofing success and wearing comfort of the swimming goggles, and comparing the developed design to available swimming goggles on the market.