Abstract: Virtual reality tools for product development including collections of avatars and virtual reality business models for avatar use. A method of designing a product to be worn by an individual includes selecting a population of avatars, where each avatar provides a representation of at least a portion a human body, and the population of avatars may be representative of a population of individuals. The method also includes obtaining a set of data describing a product to be worn by the individuals in the population of individuals, for each avatar, in the population avatars, generating a virtual reality simulation that simulates an avatar interacting with the product, and analyzing the interaction between the avatar and the selected product to evaluate at least one performance characteristic of the product.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for generating and using virtual reality simulations to conduct market research and related activities, where the virtual reality simulations include personalized aspects of a participant's environment, such as simulations of a virtual home derived from the participant's physical home. In this way, aspects of product design such as product storage and product use can be simulated.