The objectives of this research are as follows. (1) To explore "image compression technologies" to determine the capability of "StyleBits, StyleBytes and StylePieces" as the means to reduce a complex garment pattern to a manageable index that can be sorted for databases and be manipulated in an electronic interactive encyclopedia of apparel information and for Electronic Data Interchange. (2) To determine the feasibility of "StyleBits, StyleBytes & StylePieces" as a foundation or base for codification and a language that could manipulate most style information in the fashion industry. (3) To examine CD ROM and Hypercard, as the technologies with enough memory and multimedia capabilities, for being the computer tools to build an interactive encyclopedia of codified style and fabric information. (4) To study the broad needs of the whole fashion industry for a language that would enable them to communicate faster and better with each other. Groups will be utilized that contain every possible future user of an encyclopedia index of fabric and style information ... such as, consumers who wear clothing and consumers who sew clothing; retailers, buyers and editors who evaluate clothing; designers, pattern technicians and production managers who create and produce clothing; consumer consultants, public and private educators and both vocational-high school and college level students who train and learn in fashion retailing, manufacturing or related three-dimensional product industries. (5) To compare the visual and tactile cognition of fabrics and styles to the most recent discoveries in cognitive psychology, in electronic pattern recognition and in developments of Expert Systems that could support interactive decision making with this visual and tactile information.
