Motion Capture Suite

What is a motion capture lab?

A motion capture lab is a specially designed room containing cameras and sensors for tracking the motion of people, robots, or other objects across a large area. The motion capture lab at PracticePoint uses a 10 camera VICON system to track the 3D coordinates of small reflective markers. When these markers are placed in specific locations on a human subject, the system will turn these point measurements into biomechanical measurements of human motion. Force plates in the motion capture lab’s floor and wearable EMG sensors integrate with the tracking system to provide additional metrics of human motion.   

What is motion capture used for in R&D?  

Motion capture can be used for a large range of R&D activities. These include accuracy assessment of robotic systems, validation of data from wearable biometric sensors, and evaluation of exoskeletons, orthotic, and prosthetics.   

How much does motion capture technology cost or should I rent it? 

Motion capture labs are large, specially designed rooms with expensive motion tracking equipment. Additional accessories such as force plates and motion capture suits are also required to generate accurate mocap data. A motion capture lab can be rented for a couple hundred dollars an hour. Unless research involves daily use of motion capture technology, it is likely advantageous to rent rather than invest in your own room and system. Learn more about this suite and others at PracticePoint.