Here’s a gadget for people who love shopping for clothes, but don’t have time to swap and change to find something in their size.

Unveiled at the CeBit Technology show in Germany, the virtual changing room will scan your measurements and read an ID chip embedded in the clothing to show you on a projector screen how the apparel would look. It can even suggest other items that might suit you.

My partner, who eats like Liz Taylor, but wants a figure like Claudia Schiffer, would like this device even more if it could make her fit into a size 10 dress.

Joking aside, the virtual changing room has been developed by the retail giant Metro AG as part of their “Future Store” project. In line with their vision of how shopping might look in the future, Metro have already installed RFIDs (radio frequency identifier chips) throughout their stores as groundwork for this initiative. Using technology, Metro hope to compete with other retailers selling cheap, imported goods, by making shopping an experience rather than a chore.

The prototype version, demonstrated at CeBit, displays how the selected items in your size look on a model. The final version will actually scan your measurements and show you how you might look if you wore them yourself.

I must say I hate shopping for clothes, but I could go for this device. No more fumbling around in the changing booths afraid that someone will spring open the curtains and catch you with your pants down! Or is that part of the excitement…