Mar. 3, 2015 | By Simon
When it comes to designing hardware for the human body, the saying goes “no two bodies are alike”. While the saying may certainly ring true, the use of standardized models that are created from compiled data can at least help designers and engineers determine a good ‘average’ body type depending on their intended design direction. The problem of course, is actually obtaining this data.
Aiming to solve this problem once and for all, Body Labs has announced today that are launching their BodyKit API for hardware and software developers who want to create wearables and other products that utilize data from the human body - whether it’s the next fitness tracking device, a tailored shirt or a custom 3D printed object. Previously, the company has been working with the US Army to create custom body armor by utilizing data from 3D scans.
In total, the BodyKit contains a wealth of resources for a variety of needs depending on what a creator’s existing data might contain or whether they are even working with existing data at all. For instance, the BodyKit platform is capable of importing 3D scans for measuring and creating clean 3D models or a user can simply visualize and pose from existing human body models in the existing Body Labs model library.
“We’ve spent years researching and building the most sophisticated data-driven model of human body shape and pose,” wrote Body Lab on their blog.
“Now, we are making this body model technology available to you, providing the easiest and most powerful way to build apps and tools that interact with the human body.”
According to Body Labs, they believe that the not-so-distant future will include products that are tailored exactly to a users’ body. This could include everything from the clothes in one’s wardrobe to a customized workout and even a physical space that one lives in. To some degree or another, they are correct. Thanks to recent advancements in additive manufacturing and digital design, we are already living in a customized world.
In an effort to make the bridge from mass manufacturing to customized manufacturing easier, Body Labs is hoping that content creators (both hardware and software) will be able to make the most out of their API and use their data to create products and experiences that previously wouldn’t have been able to be created without it.
In its entirety, the BodyKit API consists of Create, Pose, Visualize, Measure, Animate, Compare, Analyze and Export features.
BodyKit also includes three other components that are made to help make the measurement experience even easier. These include ShapeX, Instant API and BodyHub API.
ShapeX is a customizable measurement input and visualization tool that can be used on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. Instant API creates 3D body models from a low number of measurements to predict an entire body shape and its measurements - which includes over 50 different anthropometric and tailor measurements to within 1.1 cm. Finally, the BodyHub API creates and saves 3D body models and builds databases of customer bodies that can be used for other applications including animations and population analysis.
While it’s still too early to tell exactly how the new BodyKit API will be used by 3D content creators who want to share their creations with the 3D printing community, it’s safe to say that this will be an invaluable tool as we move into a future consisting of smart wearables and 3D printed wearable technologies. Try it out for yourself over at Body Labs.
Posted in 3D Design
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