LA Fitness rolling out 3-D body scanners in more than 700 clubs

The U.S. gym franchise has partnered with Australian startup mPort to place 3-D scanners in gyms across the country.

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Australian start-up mPort which produces 3-D consumer body mapping machines, is making its way to the United States.

In a new deal worth a reported $80 million over seven years, the company has partnered with LA Fitness to place mPods in more than 700 gyms across the United States. The mPod uses infrared technology to scan an individual’s body and relay his or her measurements and metrics. The machine gathers information such as body mass index (BMI), body composition and body fat composition.

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The mPod uses more than 200,000 data points to map the individual and provide a life-sized 3-D representation of the user’s body.

“As much as we like to think we are the same, we are not. A human body comes in every shape and size, and one size does not fit all when it comes to health and fitness. In a world fixated on weight and waist size, mPort’s mission is to help users understand their own body shape and live a confident hthier life,” Dipra Ray, co-founder and CEO of mPort, said in a statement to VentureBeat.

The photo booth-sized pod only takes seven seconds to provide an avatar, which will help users see how their bodies are changing through different fitness routines and diets. LA Fitness members will be able to use the mPod for no extra charge to their membership.

Interestingly, Ray and his co-founders originally designed the mPod to help consumers pick out clothes without having to try them on. Then they realized the fitness and health implications of their product.

“Our vision is much bigger. We believe your body shape is valuable to you not just in terms of clothes and health, but for diet, exercise, car seat size, plane seats and more,” Ray said in a statement to the Financial Review.