Opu Labs
A Thriving Ecosystem for Skin Health Analysis and Solutions

Healthcare is one of the most promising sectors in the application of AI technology. Its influence on specialties such as cardiology, neurology, and ophthalmology, among others, has proven that the technology turns the tables for the greater good when it comes to diagnosis and care delivery. To this end, Opu Labs is leveraging the prowess of AI and blockchain to redefine the approach to personal skin care.

Through a comprehensive discussion with Marc Bookman, the CEO of Opu Labs, we get first-hand insights into the company’s aim to identify what consumers are looking for and more importantly whether the products they are using are best-suited for them. It not only helps clients track their skin health but also creates a convenient interface for interactions with doctors, brands, and skincare experts. “Opu Labs provides recommendations and intelligently connects consumers, brands, and professionals based on objectivity and trust,” states Bookman. Driven by metrics related to common skin concerns derived from neural network technology, Opu Labs integrates data to help consumers find the ideal solutions for themselves.

What are some key challenges that brought Opu Labs to put out its solutions in the skincare sector?

After conducting thorough research on consumer products which fit well with mobile advertising, we identified skincare as one of the highest-performing categories. As we looked further, we realized that many consumers were spending a week or two researching before committing to any purchase. And we saw that 80 percent of those drawn-out decisions were ultimately based on recommendations from friends, social media, and paid blog sites. Doctors are always very frustrated when patients visit with skin conditions worsened by the improper selection of products. In spite of the efforts of many brands to publish detailed product information, most users are unable to evaluate the product or overlook the fact that product performance varies significantly by the user. This called for a personalized solution to align products with the user’s specific conditions. And this is where we step in with our platform and services to provide effective information to drive consumers’ decision making.

Could you give me an overview of the services offered by Opu Labs and how data plays a crucial role in it?

We, at Opu Labs, aim to improve personalized skincare with our proprietary AI named Opu. It is a smart platform that scans and detects skin concerns such as acne, redness, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and skin tone by leveraging machine learning and image analysis, and connect patients with dermatologists, treatment clinics, brand specialists and product manufacturers, and suggests effective products. Our end-users can easily access the AI-powered service web portal to receive an accurate analysis of their skin condition. Based on this evaluation, we create simulations to show their expected appearance after a treatment plan.

The platform also enables users to take additional scans regularly to map their progress. The users can then choose from a wide range of brand products on the platform. Doctors verify the brands which we include and recommend solution sets for specific concerns. We also ensure the protection of data and take extra precaution in keeping patients’ information secure. Our users will soon be enabled to connect directly with consultants to get customized treatment plans. The platform is equally beneficial for dermatologists as well as brand manufacturers as it provides an easily accessible interface to track the progress of their customers when they aren’t in the office. Brands also utilize the service to sell their products based on objective data and can conduct product research via OpuLabs’ tools. Users receive rewards in the form of Opu Coin (‘OPU’), our native Ethereum-based tokens which can then be used to buy products on the platform or redeem for discounts.

Could you give us more insights into your solutions delivery model?

Our application allows users first to input their current skin condition and then regularly track the progress through routine scans. We perform image analysis to detect, monitor, and track the skin condition visually. The collected data helps identify the exact status of the skin, such as acne and wrinkle levels. We are also building several tools and services that will help clients to get in touch with skincare specialists online. The platform is built on extensive research in terms of the products consumers use, the recommendations offered to them, and the need for specific treatment methods. Currently, our services are delivered via a web browser. iOS and Android apps are in development, which will be freely available to clients and doctors. We also focus on other stakeholders in the ecosystem by providing an interface for vendors and clinics to connect and transact on the platform.

What would you say are some aspects that place Opu Labs uniquely from its other key competitors?

One key aspect which differentiates us is the intensive interactions that we have had with consumers and a comprehensive understanding of the online skincare purchasing process. This led us to a better understanding of what information consumers need to have before making a purchase decision. All these insights made our approach increasingly customer-centric and yielded around 150,000 sign-ups for our preview app. Additionally, what makes us unique is the global reach of our user base. We have users from just about every country in the world, across Asia, through Russia, the US as well as Brazil. We are building out a solution to service users globally while complying with local business practices – this truly makes our offering novel and provides a multi-faceted approach to partnering.

Could you cite a customer success story that portrays the benefits a specific client received from leveraging Opu Labs’ offerings?

We recently performed a skincare product test on the platform and had approximately 1,000 consumers participate. Over 80 percent of the users said that the product that they tracked worked to improve their concern and a similar number who found that the Opu analysis accurately measured their condition. Conversely, several users who were using products which they thought worked discovered that they did not. And another group of users discovered conditions that they had not noticed with the bare eye previously.

What is the future outlook for Opu Labs in the coming year?

With the recent roll-out of our OPU powered Marketplace, we are now actively delivering valuable data as well as doctor reviewed solution offerings to consumers. We are currently building out the roadmap, which includes real-time consultation, improved tracking tools, and iOS/Android apps. On the platform side, we plan to release 3rd party development tools to enable partners to include Opu services within their marketing and support infrastructure. We will also expand our partnerships with clinics and brands while providing tools for brands to utilize the Opu Coin smart contract and offer their own opt-in... programs to consumers.