Shapescale acts like a smart scale from the future. Its robotic arm scans your body, and you can see the changes in the app

The morning ritual for most of us looks similar. We get up, step on the scale, and wait for a single number. Yet, this number reveals almost nothing about the most important thing: whether we’ve lost fat or muscle. The American startup Shape Labs decided to tackle this problem in its own way. Its ShapeScale is not a classic personal scale, but a device with a robotic arm that scans you into a photorealistic 3D model in less than a minute and color-codes exactly where your body is changing.

How does it all work?

You step onto the circular base, and a robotic arm with cameras and infrared depth sensors extends from the device’s head. It smoothly rotates 360 degrees around you, gradually scanning you from head to toe. The arm extends from 70 to 180 centimeters, accommodating taller individuals. The scanning itself takes less than a minute, and the finished model then goes to the cloud for processing, arriving in the mobile app in about ten minutes.

According to the manufacturer, the base can support up to 180 kilograms and detect weight changes down to tenths of a kilogram. The device automatically recognizes who has stepped on it, guides you with voice prompts, and connects via both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth. After scanning, the arm folds down, so the scale doesn’t take up unnecessary space. It weighs approximately 13.6 kilograms on its own.

You can compare two versions of yourself

The main magic happens in the app. There you will see a photorealistic 3D model of yourself, which you can rotate and view from any angle. The app can compare any two dates and show how your physique has changed between them. For this, color heat maps are used: blue indicates areas where you’ve lost, red where you’ve gained. At a glance, you’ll know if muscles are growing or fat is disappearing.

In addition to the visual, you also get numbers. According to the manufacturer, ShapeScale offers 33 different measurements, from circumferences of individual body parts to body volume and composition, meaning the ratio of fat to muscle. The app calculates health and fitness scores from the data and suggests which body part to focus on. All scans and measured values are encrypted and accessible only to you, or your trainer or doctor.

Why such a scale makes sense right now

Common smart scales show you BMI or body fat percentage in addition to weight, but their accuracy varies greatly. ShapeScale’s manufacturer claims that inexpensive scales can be off by as much as a fifth or more. And most importantly, a single number on the display doesn’t tell you the crucial information: whether the disappearing pounds are fat or muscle.

The topic is more pressing than ever due to the boom in weight-loss drugs from the GLP-1 group, which includes Ozempic and Wegovy. Studies cited by the manufacturer suggest that up to 40% of the weight lost on these medications may come from muscle mass, not fat. Yet, muscle is crucial for long-term health. ShapeScale targets precisely this. Instead of reassuring a person with a dropping number, it shows them whether they’ve lost weight correctly or are losing valuable muscle. The company states that its users retained an average of 20% more muscle mass during weight loss, though these are internal company data.

How accurate is it, and is it safe?

The gold standard for body composition measurement is the X-ray method DEXA, found in clinics. According to the manufacturer, ShapeScale closely approaches its accuracy. The company relies on its own studies and speaks of an agreement with DEXA at around 97%, though individual sources report different numbers, and independent verification is not yet available. Against inexpensive bioimpedance scales, which pass a weak current through the body, it should in any case be noticeably more accurate.

From a safety perspective, the situation is favorable. ShapeScale scans the body using ordinary light and weak infrared radiation, similar to that from a remote control or game console. It does not use any electric current or X-rays, so according to the manufacturer, pregnant women or people with pacemakers or metal implants can use it without concern.

It’s not a cheap affair

The home version of ShapeScale costs 999 dollars, approximately 21,000 CZK, plus an additional 9.99 dollars per month (around 210 CZK) for the cloud service. There is also a more expensive variant for fitness centers, clinics, and doctors, which costs around 9,990 dollars (over 210,000 CZK) or can be leased from 199 dollars per month. You cannot do without a subscription and a constant internet connection, because the device processes everything in the cloud and has no offline storage.

Shapescale acts like a smart scale from the future. Its robotic arm scans your body, and you can see the changes in the app Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

You also need to account for space and a few environmental requirements. For scanning, you need an area of approximately 1.5 × 1.5 meters, a well-lit room without direct sunlight and without mirrors in close proximity, otherwise the sensors can more easily make mistakes. And one practical detail, which reviewers also point out: for an accurate result, it is necessary to scan yourself in tight-fitting clothing, ideally almost without any. A loose t-shirt and sweatpants will distort the result.

Two further problems: availability of the app and the scale itself

Now for the less pleasant part. ShapeScale is officially sold only in the USA and Canada. While the company can ship the device elsewhere, the customer pays customs duties and import fees, and the manufacturer does not guarantee compatibility with the European electrical grid or compliance with local regulations. Added to this is a problem that will hurt Android users the most: the app primarily works on iPhones and iPads, with an Android version still under development. Without it, the entire device is useless.

Would you pay over twenty thousand for such a scale, or is a simple number on the display enough for you?

Sources: ShapeScale (1, 2, 3), Forbes, Fitt