Xsens Releases Wearable Motion Capture Product Line

New wearable motion capture product line delivers fast, production-ready 3D data to professional animators at a more affordable price.

Enschede, The Netherlands -- Xsens, a leading specialist in 3D inertial motion tracking technology, has introduced a new wearable motion capture product line to deliver fast, production-ready 3D data to professional animators at a more affordable price.

Featuring two fully redesigned systems and a 4.0 version of its software, the new Xsens MVN product line brings faster set-ups, cleaner data, and tougher materials designed for daily use in demanding production environments. With customers actively engaging in the product design process, the updated Xsens MVN line brings accessibility and high-quality performance to a production-ready workflow.

“We started using the MVN system over five years ago while working on Paul and have continued to use it ever since,” says Simon Kay, motion capture supervisor at Double Negative. “Xsens MVN has been a fantastic tool for previs and animation blocking. After experiencing the new MVN systems first hand, we can’t wait to introduce it into our production pipeline."

“From the first moment we used the new system, we were amazed how intuitive it was and we were able to set it up in no time,” says Alex Kiesl, creative director of Unexpected. “The new features and possibilities are really compelling, we now love it even more!”

“The portability of the MVN system allows us to get true interplay between a CG character and the rest of the cast,” says Webster Colcord, motion capture specialist on Ted. “This is particularly important in comedy, where improvisation and timing are everything.”

The three pillars of quality data, robust hardware and easier interactivity led Xsens to redesign its motion capture systems and software into a production-ready solution:

  • MVN Link: Xsens’ full-body, camera-less mocap suit has been rebuilt to handle more strenuous conditions. Kevlar-reinforced wires, ultra-small and lightweight trackers, fast on-body data buffering, and a battery life of 9.5 hours round out a robust design that is ready for any on-set production.
  • MVN Awinda: Xsens’ strap-based system is ideal for animators who want to capture motions on the fly. Individual wireless motion trackers are attached to straps that can be quickly snapped on over clothes or easily exchanged among actors to record for up to 6.5 hours.
  • MVN Studio 4.0: Xsens’ widely used software package featuring patented 3D motion tracking technologies. Thanks to a massive update to Xsens’ mocap engine, it now tracks height in real-time and delivers exceptionally clean data.

The MVN Studio pipeline integration has also been greatly expanded to solidify its mocap data in VFX and animation workflows. Now MVN Studio is even more accessible to industry-standard software pipelines such as Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, MotionBuilder, Houdini, UDK and Unity3D.

“Seven years after developing the world’s first inertial motion capture suit that quickly became the industry de facto standard tool for animators, Xsens has once again taken the motion capture market in an exciting new direction,” says Hein Beute, product manager for Xsens. “Motion capture is now affordable and accessible anywhere in its easiest and most powerful form yet. All you need is an idea.”

Users can start working with Xsens MVN at a starting price of $12,000. The new Xsens MVN product line is available as of now.

Source: Xsens

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.