Perfect Corp. presented its flagship at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
Taiwanese beauty technology startup Perfect Corp. has created a series of mobile applications that use augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to help users test products such as makeup.
The firm headquartered in New Taipei City says the apps have been downloaded more than 550 million times around the world since their launch in March 2014. Perfect Corp. presented its flagship at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
“I believe that Perfect Corp. is a true global leader in the sense that it has developed sustainable business models for AR technologies,” CEO and founder Alice Chang told Business Next. “Our company has built many applications based on customer demand that are readily available.”
The new apps come with names such as YouCam Makeup, YouCam Perfect, YouCam Nails and YouCam Fun. Downloads are free from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Chang drew inspiration to pursue these apps from her own needs and frustrations as a beauty lover, particularly her wish to use makeup quickly and cleanly.
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How the apps work
The YouCam series combines AI and augmented reality AR technologies. The apps let users try on different makeup styles by taking a photo – usually a no-makeup selfie in real life – and then using AR to adjust it for ideal final appearance.
An app also allows users to experiment with different hair colors through augmented reality.
They can, virtually, try multiple makeup brands in a short period without buying anything. Users can also use makeup tutorials to help users virtually try on makeup before purchasing. They can eventually use apps to buy beauty products.
The YouCam series mirrors one of its many competitors, the cosmetics maker Rimmel London’s “Get the Look” app.
The beauty app developer wants to distinguish itself from rivals – also including Meitu, ModiFace, and Perfect365 – by delivering quality color palettes, finishes, and textures instead of just digital colors. Perfect Corp. has better options for making photos look lifelike, Chang said.
But rivals will always be circling. Most recently, French cosmetics giant L’Oréal announced its March 16 acquisition of ModiFace, a Canadian beauty tech company which, like Perfect Corp., specializes in augmented reality and artificial intelligence.
Perfect Corp. has been striving to develop 3D AR makeup apps for hyper-realistic natural and costume makeovers, Chang added. It’s also working on 3D AR for fashion accessories, glasses and hairbands and real-time 360° AR hair coloring.
The company’s start
Perfect Corp. got started in 2015 as a spinoff of Taiwanese software company CyberLink. The new firm wanted to create a standalone brand and business.
“When Perfect Corp. first spun off, the first mobile application that the team built was a simple application that allows users to see digital makeovers with limited digital color options,” Chang recalled.
Because of its CyberLink background, Perfect Corp’s engineers already knew a lot about colors and facial recognition technology that’s useful for beauty apps, Chang said. Today Perfect Corp. aims to leverage its expertise and resources to develop color-blending technologies.
Chang holds an MBA degree from the University of California Los Angeles and a bachelor’s degree in business from from National Taiwan University. She worked as the CyberLink CEO from 1997 to 2015.
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The article Taiwanese App Developer Uses AI and AR Technologies to Build Beauty Apps was first published on Business Next.
Business Next aka BNext is a Taiwanese English-news company.
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