When I first – enthusiastically – reported on Body Labs and their Body Hub initiative to use the body as an interface for purchasing personalized digital and physical products online I thought that it would take a while before this business model would be consistently implemented. Body Labs laid down the infrastructure for the personalized virtual markets of tomorrow and is now continuing in its mission by releasing a digital App that lets you create a 3D model of your entire body by just taking a few snapshots.
Just like in a physical photograph, all you will need to do is download the Body Snapp App (Windows only for now), which is now available in public beta testing release, and then use the Kinect sensor to capture four views of the subject as he or she turns around. The app eliminates the need to wave the sensor around and then proceeds to automatically upload the 3D scans to the BodyHub network for the user to later retrieve the body model.
“Our end goal is to organize all the information and data related to human body shape,” said Body Labs’ CEO William O’Farrell. “The release of Body Snap signals the rapidly growing availability of inexpensive scanning capabilities, and means that over the next several years anyone and everyone will be able to have their own 3D body model. These models and the analytics generated from them will enable businesses to design and match their offerings to individual consumers. We encourage all early developers to test Body Snap and take part in the 3D revolution.”
While the model obtained with a Kinect scan may not be a viable option to get an exact replica “mini-me” 3D printed, it will supply all the necessary information for personalized clothing, equipment or fitness and medical devices. While you wait for retailers and service providers to implement full Body Hubs compatibility, you can upload the 3D model into a digital editor such as Mixamo Fuse to animate it and use it as a personalized videogame character. The physical 3D revolution can wait a little longer.
