Xsens launches MVN Animate 2018 – the first inertial motion capture system to deliver AAA-grade data outside of the volume in all conditions
Enschede, Netherlands – Xsens, the leading innovator in 3D motion tracking technology, has announced the official launch of MVN Animate 2018 – a disruptive software solution that heralds a new dawn for video game development.
Fundamentally different to past releases, MVN Animate 2018 is Xsens’ first motion capture software release to solve the “unsolvable” – it remedies several issues that have plagued inertial motion capture in the past; primarily magnetic distortion. This means users can capture anywhere, anytime, without concern for their environment, and receive AAA-grade data. It has already been adopted by Avalanche, Telltale Games, and Ninja Theory among other AAA studios.
MVN Animate 2018 is now the only inertial-based motion capture solution that can go head to head with optical systems on the accuracy of data. It has the capability to produce a new wave of photorealistic in-game characters, and has previously been utilized on titles such as Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Lawbreakers.
MVN Animate is Xsens’ proprietary motion capture software. It is used in conjunction with Xsens MVN hardware to record, monitor and analyze movement. While optical solutions require markers, volumes, and cameras, Xsens inertial technology can be used anywhere with no need for such paraphernalia. Users can capture anywhere, in any environment, with total reliability – without the need for extensive post-capture clean-up or editing.
The ease, reliability, and robustness of capturing motion this way is comparable to GoPro in the world of action cameras. Actors can be recorded cycling, skiing, or even skydiving to create true-to-life game avatars.
Revolutionizing motion capture
Xsens MVN solutions are based on inertial technology – it uses gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers rather than digital cameras, volumes, and markers to capture movement.
In the past, data captured using inertial techniques suffered from environmental magnetic distortion, caused by the presence of metals in furniture, buildings, vehicles and other objects. MVN Animate 2018 solves this issue – it is immune to magnetic distortion, thanks to a new mo-cap engine that extracts more information from the same data. This brings the benefits of all types of motion capture into one streamlined package – MVN Animate 2018 offers flexibility, precision, and production-level data for the gaming industry.
Hollywood-grade data
MVN Animate 2018 eliminates drawbacks to previous iterations of inertial motion capture technology, such as drift, foot slide, contact handling, and distorted height tracking and 3D position. Using MVN Animate 2018 means that there is a much-reduced need for expensive clean-up – the post-capture data is astoundingly good. MVN Animate 2018 is ready to be used out of the box: it’s plug-and-play and works seamlessly with major 3D packages like Unity, Unreal and Autodesk tools.
Setting a new standard for inertial
Due to these groundbreaking advances in inertial technology, MVN Animate 2018 is positioned to democratize motion capture for game development and animation studios of all shapes and sizes. While other inertial motion capture solutions promise a world of “mocap for everyone”, Xsens delivers on the promise with superior data under all circumstances, meaning more people can use it in entirely new markets; from indie devs, to live events, and big studio projects.
Hein Beute, Product Manager at Xsens, comments:
“Xsens is now the obvious choice for studios that are on the lookout for a solid, dependable mocap solution. Now they can not only capture outside of the volume, but do so with total confidence that the data will be reliable. MVN Animate is set to turn the world of motion capture on its head.”
Matt Stoneham, Principal Technical Artist at Ninja Theory, comments:
“There’s a certain level of understanding and knowledge required to extract the best from an optical stage – that’s not the case for Xsens. The barrier of entry is much lower: and not just the costs. It’s actually a joy to use Xsens, from putting it on to getting everything calibrated. Xsens just powers up, you can easily get the suit on – everything just works. Xsens is absolutely rock solid, and really reinforces the turnkey nature of the MVN suit.”
Xsens MVN Animate is available now and will be shipped with every new Xsens purchase. All current customers with a valid support contract can upgrade for free!
Xsens delivers state-of-the-art mocap solutions to the AAA game developers and leading VFX studios across the globe. Xsens mocap systems have powered numerous high-end productions, including FIFA, X-Men, LawBreakers, Iron Man, Hellblade, and Dunkirk.
Xsens is also set to release MVN Analyze 2018 – a new version of the software tailored to the sports science, biomechanics and ergonomics markets. Here, Xsens is enabling efficiencies in the speed and accuracy of results, resulting in more robust data with which to improve research.
Check Out the Xsens MVN Animate – Unbelievable Motion Capture Data Video:
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