Mocap for Content Creators: The Top 5 Solutions 

The top motion capture options in 2023

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Mocap for Content Creators - The Top 5 Solutions 
Mixed RealityInsights

Published: March 30, 2023

Joshua Lunney

As extended reality experiences continue to gain popularity in virtually every industry, solutions are constantly emerging to help developers and companies design their own immersive experiences. Motion Capture software, or “Mocap systems”, are particularly valuable for content creators looking to enhance XR experiences with realistic avatars, motion, and gesture controls.  

Mocap solutions are primarily used for the creation of XR content. They can help record and edit motion captured for games, entertainment experiences, and other software solutions. They can also be used to render, animate, and import various forms of motion-based data.  

Today, we’re looking at some of the leading Mocap solutions on the market for content creators, designed to empower a new age of innovation, ready for the metaverse. 

Sony Mocopi 

As one of the current gaming and entertainment leaders, it’s little surprise that Sony would want to introduce its Mocap technology. The company has already begun investing heavily in a range of metaverse solutions intended to compete with global immersive firms. For instance, in 2022, Sony acquired XR firm Beyond Sports to boost RT3D animation capabilities.  

Introduced in November 2022, the Sony Mocopi system combines a range of 6 wearable tracking devices with intelligent software. The sensors can be attached to a user’s head, wrists, hips, and ankles to help translate human movements into software in real-time. Users can even record their animations at home and share them with friends with minimal initial investment.  

Users of the Mocopi ecosystem can also leverage a plugin from Sony which allows created animations to be exported into other development software, such as MotionBuilder and Unity. The solution aims to make motion capture easier for virtually all innovators in the creator economy. 

Autodesk 

  1. Autodesk has emerged as one of the leading software developers in the world for the XR community. Offering everything businesses need to create immersive environments and digital twins, the Autodesk portfolio is brimming with useful tools for the metaverse.  

Autodesk’s motion capture solutions are leveraged by film, television, and video game developers across the globe. Solutions include the MotionBuilder technology, which allows users to generate motion capture data from live actors and import it directly into software environments. There are also built-in tools for fine-tuning character movement. 

Autodesk also has a comprehensive Motion library in Autodesk Maya, where users can access thousands of high-quality animations from top motion capture students around the world. Other options include a comprehensive Autodesk Media and Entertainment collection, which comes with 3DS Max, MotionBuilder, Maya, and more.  

Rokoko Studio 

Rokoko Studio is a comprehensive motion capture technology solution with a dedicated plugin for the Unreal Engine development landscape. Users can leverage the technology to import motion-captured data from haptic tools and hardware. Options range from the Smartsuit Pro for comprehensive body motion capture to face capture, and smartgloves.  

After capturing motion data from hardware, users can leverage Rokoku studio to animate custom characters in real-time, with no lag or latency. Rokoko studio can capture mocap data and forward it directly to scenes in Unreal Engine and other popular development tools.  

For beginners, Rokoko studio also offers a range of valuable tutorials and tools which teach users how to leverage the full performance of their technology. Users can get step-by-step instructions on how to import animations into other tools like Unreal. Dedicated plugins are also available for Unity, Maya, Houdini, Blender, and countless other development tools.  

OptiTrack 

One of the market leaders in the motion capture landscape, OptiTrack offers a combination of hardware and software for innovative data capture. The company supports everything from virtual production projects to movement science research, robotics, animation, and virtual reality. Users can even build their ecosystem from scratch with various best-in-breed cameras and tools.  

From a hardware perspective, OptiTrack offers some of the world’s most precise motion capture solutions, such as the Prime X 41, with an ultra-wide field of view and exceptional camera range. Users can also access a range of customizable headsets, haptic body suits, markers, lens accessories, and measurement tools for comprehensive projects. 

OptiTrack has proprietary tools available for animation and capture editing in the software landscape. Plus, users can also leverage drag-and-drop plugins for Unity and Unreal Engine. There are also plugins for Maya and MotionBuilder, as well as SDKs for developers.  

Qualisys 

Another innovator in the Mocap landscape, Qualisys is a comprehensive company offering access to a range of tools for the entertainment, engineering, and life sciences spaces. There are comprehensive motion capture systems available from the brand, which come with comprehensive cameras, dedicated power kits, and software components included.  

Qualisys offers innovative hardware tools like the Arqus camera for motion capture, Miqus hybrid camera system, and even cameras designed for underwater motion capture. Analysis tools and the comprehensive Qualisys Track Manager software for developers and designers are available for tracking and data analysis.  

For innovators investing in the motion capture landscape, Qualisys can offer markers and mocap suits, with comprehensive haptic feedback. There are also project automation frameworks available and integrations with leading tools like Maya and Unreal Engine. What’s more, Qualisys has its own dedicated educational environment designed to teach users how to leverage each tool.  

The Evolving Mocap Landscape 

As companies continue to invest in extended reality and the expanding metaverse, the number of Mocap tools available on the market is consistently increasing. The right solution for each user will depend on whether they’re looking for hardware, software, or a combination of both.  

While Unreal Engine, Unity, and Autodesk all offer fantastic software for the mocap space, companies like Sony and Qualisys can also empower users with access to suits, haptic gloves, and cameras built to capture essential data.  

 

 

 

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