Body Labs
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Artificial intelligence |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Michael J. Black, William J. O'Farrell, Eric Rachlin, Alex Weiss |
| Fate | Acquired by Amazon (October 2017) |
| Headquarters | Manhattan , United States |
Key people | Michael J. Black (co-founder) |
| Products | BodyKit, Body Labs Blue, Body Labs Red, Mosh mobile app, SOMA Human-Aware AI |
Body Labs is a software enterprise headquartered in Manhattan, established in 2013, that focuses on human-centric artificial intelligence capable of interpreting 3D body shapes and movements from standard RGB images or video footage.
In October 2017, Amazon acquired Body Labs, thereby broadening its range of AI-based 3D modeling solutions.
History
Body Labs was created by Michael J. Black, William J. O'Farrell, Eric Rachlin, and Alex Weiss, all connected to Brown University and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. The company’s foundation was built upon Black’s pioneering research into statistical human body models. This research became particularly applicable when the Virginia State Police explored computer vision technologies for identifying suspects during a criminal case.
The company raised $2.2 million in Seed capital in November 2014, led by FirstMark Capital, followed by an $11 million Series A financing round in November 2015 spearheaded by Intel Capital. Additional investors included FirstMark Capital, Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH, Osage University Partners, Catalus Capital, and the founding team. These funds facilitated the advancement of AI-based 3D body modeling solutions tailored for sectors such as retail, gaming, and healthcare technology.
BodyKit
Body Labs unveiled BodyKit on March 3, 2015—a collection of APIs and embeddable modules designed to incorporate human body data into various software applications and tools.
Body Labs Blue
On July 20, 2016, the company released Body Labs Blue, a web-accessible API and user interface that captures physical measurements and estimates digital dimensions aimed at improving custom garment fitting.
Body Labs Red
The launch of Body Labs Red occurred on October 5, 2016. This API automates the conversion of 3D scans into comprehensive 3D body models. Additionally, Body Labs collaborated with 3dMD to process their 3D scan data.
Mosh Mobile App
On February 15, 2017, Body Labs introduced Mosh, an iOS application that forecasts 3D human posture and shape from images while applying interactive 3D effects.
SOMA: Human-Aware AI
Body Labs debuted SOMA on June 1, 2017—an AI-powered platform that predicts three-dimensional human shape and movement from RGB photos or videos, enhancing functionalities across animation, gaming, and health technology fields. Subsequently, on July 21, 2017, the company launched the SOMA Shape API, which allows external developers to embed 3D model and measurement prediction features into their applications, thereby extending Body Labs’ market presence and developer community.