Digital Life 3D

What Digital Life 3D does

Digital Life 3D is a non-profit initiative housed within the University of Massachusetts Amherst that produces high-resolution, anatomically accurate 3D models of living organisms for use in wildlife conservation, scientific research, and education. Founded in November 2016 by Professor Duncan J. Irschick, the project is part of the university's Center for Evolutionary Materials (CEM) and relies on partnerships with zoos, marine research centers, NGOs, and academic institutions to ethically access animals — including endangered species — for scanning. It has documented field deployments across at least nine countries (USA, Australia, Bahamas, Tanzania, Honduras, Cyprus, Colombia, Spain) and a catalog of more than 70 published models covering sharks, sea turtles, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

The core technology is Beastcam™, a proprietary multi-camera photogrammetry platform offered in three scale-specific configurations (MACRO for 1-9 inch organisms, ARRAY for 4-16 inch organisms, STAND for 16-70 inch organisms) designed for field-portable, rapid capture of living animals. Raw imagery is processed through Capturing Reality, Autodesk REMAKE, Blender, Houdini, and Meshroom to produce UV-mapped, full-color 3D meshes that can be animated for movement analysis. Models are distributed through the Sketchfab marketplace for free non-profit download, while high-resolution and commercial-licensed versions are gated through direct engagement with the director and the UMass Tech Transfer office.

Digital Life operates as an approved fee-based cost-center within UMass Amherst rather than as an independent corporate entity. Revenue (not publicly disclosed) is generated through custom model creation fees for non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, and individuals, supplemented by NSF grants (1353743, 1657662), UMASS Minutefund support, and private donations. There are no external equity investors, and commercial licensing decisions require dual approval from the Director and the UMass Tech Transfer officer. The team is small — principally Director Irschick and 3D Artist Johnson Martin — with project labor drawn from UMass students and staff, and the workflow pairs on-site scanning with outsourced animation for model completion.

Name

Digital Life 3D

Legal name

Digital Life

Website

https://digitallife3d.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Digital Life 3D is a UMass Amherst non-profit initiative that uses proprietary Beastcam™ multi-camera photogrammetry technology to create and freely distribute 3D models of living animals for conservation, research, and education through global zoo and NGO partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

3D Photogrammetry Services

NAICS

Commercial Photography (541922)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Real-Time Environment/Asset Creation & Photogrammetry (MPAHADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Simulation-Based Learning & Virtual Labs (EDAGAEAG), STEM & Lab Simulation Media (Virtual Labs, AR/VR) (EDAGALAF)

Keywords

• 3D photogrammetry
• Wildlife conservation
• Digital specimen preservation
• Animal scanning technology
• Educational 3D models

Headquarters

HQ city

Amherst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Fee-based 3D Model Creation Services: Digital Life operates as an approved fee-based (cost-center) initiative within UMass Amherst. They create custom 3D models for non-profit organizations (universities, NGOs), for-profit companies, and individuals for a fee. The workflow involves student/staff developing content through scanning and photography, which is then sent to animators for model completion. Commercial use requires approval from both the director and UMass Tech Transfer officer, typically only if partner organizations also agree.
2. Non-Profit Open Access Distribution: Models are freely available for download on Sketchfab for non-profit scientific, educational, and artistic use. This free distribution supports their mission to preserve biodiversity and create educational opportunities without generating direct revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Digital Life 3D is a non-profit initiative at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that creates and shares high-resolution, accurate 3D models of living organisms using its proprietary Beastcam™ multi-camera photogrammetry platform. It operates as a fee-based center providing custom 3D modeling services to universities, NGOs, for-profit companies, and individuals, while distributing resulting models free of charge for non-profit scientific, educational, and artistic use via Sketchfab.

Product overview

Digital Life 3D is a non-profit initiative within the University of Massachusetts Amherst that creates and shares high-quality 3D models of living organisms to support wildlife conservation, science, and education. The core offering consists of the Beastcam Technology—a proprietary multi-camera photogrammetry platform—and the resulting 3D animal models distributed primarily through Sketchfab. Models are available free for non-profit use and for a fee for commercial applications. The company operates as a fee-based center within UMass Amherst, offering custom 3D modeling services for organizations and individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3D Animal Models High-quality, accurate 3D digital models of living organisms created using Beastcam photogrammetry technology, available for scientific, educational, and non-profit use through the Sketchfab platform. The library spans sharks, sea turtles, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and invertebrates.
• Beastcam Technology Platform A proprietary multi-camera 3D modeling platform technology developed at UMass Amherst that rapidly captures 3D models of living animals through photogrammetry, available in three sizes (MACRO, ARRAY, STAND) for organisms ranging from small insects to large sharks.
• Custom 3D Modeling Services Fee-based 3D modeling services for organizations (non-profit or for-profit) and individuals who need custom animal models created, including on-site scanning, model development, animation, and delivery with commercial licensing handled through UMass Tech Transfer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ 3D animal models available for free non-profit download via Sketchfab
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Loggerhead Marinelife CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit sea turtle hospital in Juno Beach, Florida promoting ocean ecosystem conservation. Partnered with Digital Life to photograph sea turtle patients including Scallywag (green sea turtle) and Shelly (loggerhead sea turtle). Models incorporated into educational programs reaching 350,000+ guests annually.
• Perth ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Australia's major zoo that hosted Digital Life team in July 2018 to photograph species including Bakari the Southern White Rhinoceros. Models help animals serve as conservation ambassadors globally.
• Inwater Research GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit providing scientific information for coastal and marine species conservation. Allowed Digital Life to photograph sea turtles during processing, including near-adult loggerhead Shelly and juvenile green sea turtle in 2017.
• San Diego ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor zoological institution and conservation organization listed as partner, collaborating on wildlife documentation projects.
• Atlantic Shark InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit supporting shark research and conservation. Collaborated on Caribbean reef shark and Shortfin Mako shark models, providing access to specimens and supporting model creation.
• Fundacion Oceanogràfic (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOceanographic foundation in Spain. Researcher Nathan J. Robinson collaborated with Digital Life on Caribbean reef shark model and multiple additional shark species. Ongoing collaboration with many more models in development.
• OceanX and Cape Eleuthera InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine research organizations that facilitated Caribbean reef shark video capture in January 2019, supporting the photogrammetry and model creation process.
• Center for Evolutionary Materials (CEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMass Amherst research center where Digital Life is housed. Their 3D methods represent Bioinspired innovations for others to use. Digital Life is a non-profit initiative within this center.
• ANGARI FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated and supported Great Hammerhead Shark research and videography in South Bimini, Bahamas (February 2020), contributing to model reconstruction of Nemesis the shark.
• Florida Atlantic UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jeanette Wyneken from FAU provided feedback on sea turtle model movements and animation accuracy, supporting scientific validation of 3D models.
• University of MiamiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Neil Hammerschlag collaborated on Blacktip shark scanning project in April 2016 in partnership with Discovery Channel.
• New England Reptile Distributors (NERD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReptile facility in New Hampshire that provided access to Timber Rattlesnake for 3D scanning in March 2017. Owner Kevin McCurley and venomous snake specialist Tim Velton facilitated the safe photography process.
• Marine Megafauna FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated and supported Whale Shark research based on dives near Mafia Island, Tanzania in November 2022. Chris Rohner and Stephanie Venables provided footage and support.
• New England AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRescued and provided Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle ('Tumbleweed') for 3D photography with 30 Canon G16 cameras. Connie Merigo from the aquarium provided feedback on model movements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MorphoSource: A Duke University-hosted repository of 3D biological specimen data primarily from CT scans. Shares Digital Life's academic-hosted, research-and-education distribution model and biological focus, though emphasizes osteological specimens over living-organism photogrammetry.
• Natural History Museum London Digital Collections: The NHM operates a major program digitizing biological specimens for online research and educational use. Directly comparable in producing authoritative 3D organism data for scientific and conservation communities.
• Phenome10K: A curated database of 3D vertebrate specimens aimed at enabling comparative morphological research. Directly comparable in producing high-resolution 3D biological assets for scientific use.
• Smithsonian 3D Digitization Program: The Smithsonian's 3D program creates high-quality 3D models of museum specimens and artifacts for public access. It is the closest direct peer in mission (digitizing real-world specimens for education/science) and structure (institutional, non-commercial distribution model).

Others

• Zooniverse: The largest citizen-science platform, often used for biodiversity-related projects. Adjacent in enabling community-driven conservation and science, though not a 3D content producer itself.

Emerging players

• iDigBio: The U.S. national resource for digitizing biodiversity specimens, hosted at the University of Florida. Comparable as an academic-led biodiversity digitization effort, though focused on 2D/3D specimen imaging at scale rather than photogrammetry of living organisms.
• Scan the World: A community-driven initiative crowdsourcing 3D scans of cultural and natural objects for free download. Comparable as an open-access 3D asset repository, though broader in scope and community-driven rather than expert-led.

Broad incumbents

• Sketchfab: The leading consumer/professional 3D model platform where Digital Life hosts its catalog. Not a direct competitor but the distribution backbone; relevant as the broader incumbent platform enabling this kind of content.
• Autodesk (ReMake / RealityCapture): Major photogrammetry software vendor whose ReMake product is explicitly named in Digital Life's pipeline. Indirectly comparable as the underlying technology provider in the broader 3D capture ecosystem.
• Agisoft (Metashape): Leading commercial photogrammetry software used widely for scientific and cultural 3D capture. Indirectly comparable as enabling infrastructure for the photogrammetry workflow Digital Life relies on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital Life 3D