Amazon wants to 3D-scan volunteers’ bodies for a $25 gift card

Amazon is gathering data about body types by inviting volunteers to get scanned, taped, and photographed. As spotted by Mashable, the company is running a study to “learn about diversity among body shapes,” offering a $25 gift card for a 30-minute appointment in New York. Participants will take a survey and assent to 3D scans (plus photos and videos) of their body — first in their everyday attire, then in “form-fitting” clothing. The study is run by Amazon Body Labs, originally a startup that Amazon acquired in 2017. Body Labs produced detailed 3D body models for shopping and gaming; as Mashable notes, it grew out of an attempt to identify criminals with computer vision techniques. And Amazon has gathered this kind of body data before. T... Continue reading…