Wow, that is one great big naked selfie.
So, this Silicon Valley startup, appropriately named Naked Labs, has taken a whole bunch of venture capital money and built themselves a great big 3D scanning smart mirror with a connected rotating scale and a companion mobile app, ostensibly enabling users to track how their bodies change over time. It’s a potentially game-changing device for athletes, fitness fans, and people trying to lose weight. The whole package is called … wait for it … “Naked.”
One page in the press kit stands out, helpfully titled “Take nudes.” At least the device’s creators explain their thinking. “For your eyes only, of course,” it reads. “This data goes far deeper than the numbers on the scale. Naked helps you understand how your body is changing so you can stay motivated to hit your goals.”
To be fair, it is quite a device. The core technology consists of a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth-enabled mirror that uses three Intel “RealSense” depth sensors to scan the user’s 3D body as the scale spins them around. After scanning, users can use the obligatory mobile app to see their body-fat percent, lean mass and fat mass, circumferences, side-by-side comparisons, and graphs of historical data. It does everything but pass judgment on you — but never fear, there’s already a mirror for that.
“We have been looking forward to this day for a long time,” said Naked co-founder and CEO Farhad Farahbakhshian in a statement. “Today, people are searching for evidence-based methods to track health and fitness that aren’t solely focused on weight. We are excited to get Naked into people’s homes to give them better insight into exactly what’s going on in their body and help them work toward their goals.”
The company definitely has some ambitious plans for the mirror beyond the fitness market. Potential secondary uses could include tailoring clothes down to the centimeter or scanning your real body into a video game. The smart mirror will start reaching the retail market this month as Naked begins shipping units to customers who have already pre-ordered Naked. The company expects the units to cost $1,395 plus another $100 for shipping.
In addition to its seed capital, Naked also announced another $14 million in Series A funding led by leading California venture firm Founders Fund, as well as personal investment from Founders Fund partner Cyan Banister.
“Founders Fund is known for investing in big ideas, and Naked Labs is no exception,” said Banister in a release. “We are excited about what the team is doing, and this is just the beginning. Once you create a platform for body models, the number of valuable services for the end user is infinite. We truly believe this will change how people interface with the Internet – and their bodies.”
Because of the cost of the technology, 3D scanning has mostly been limited to medical facilities, toy companies, and Hollywood special effects shops up to now. Experts in the field say the technology could have vast applications in a wider variety of fields including design, entertainment, and virtual tourism.
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