Body Labs Inc.

Body Labs Inc. operated as a software company centered on creating sophisticated 3D models of the human body. Founded in 2013 by Michael J. Black, William J. O'Farrell, Eric Rachlin, and Alex Weiss, the Manhattan-based firm was built upon a decade of research from Brown University and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. The foundational technology traces back to 2002, when co-founder Michael J. Black was approached by police to use computer vision to help identify a suspect from surveillance video, a project that sparked the development of statistical human body models.

The company's core business involved providing human-aware artificial intelligence that could understand and predict 3D body shape and motion from inputs like RGB photos, videos, or measurements. This technology was delivered through a suite of APIs and embeddable components, such as BodyKit, which allowed developers to integrate human body models into their applications. Its business-to-business model targeted several markets, including online apparel, health and fitness, and video games. For apparel companies, the service offered a way to reduce costly returns by ensuring better clothing fit, while in gaming and augmented reality, it enabled the creation of photorealistic and personalized avatars. Revenue was generated by licensing its body models and API suite, which included products like 'Body Labs Blue' for custom clothing creation and 'Body Labs Red' for processing 3D scan data.

The firm's offerings were designed to transform the human body into a digital platform. Its SOMA software used AI to predict human shape and motion, while the corresponding Shape API allowed third-party apps to connect to the backend for model and measurement prediction. This enabled clients to design and market goods and services based on precise body data. After raising a total of $14.3 million in funding from investors including Intel Capital and FirstMark, Body Labs was acquired by Amazon in October 2017 for an estimated price between $50 million and $70 million. The acquisition was seen as a strategic move for Amazon to enhance its ventures in fashion, particularly the Prime Wardrobe service, and potentially its gaming division.

Keywords: 3D body modeling, human-aware AI, computer vision, digital avatars, body scanning technology, apparel fit technology, virtual try-on, body shape data, SOMA AI, BodyKit API, motion capture, 3D measurement, personalized apparel, gaming avatars, augmented reality body, human body platform, custom clothing, retail technology, e-commerce returns, digital animation, fitness tracking, Amazon acquisition