Late last year, Sony launched a mobile motion-capture system in Japan that worked with a companion app to create a VR avatar for such things as gaming or chat. Now the Mocopi system is up for pre-order in the US.
The package is made up of six colored tracking sensors weighing in at 8 g (0.2 oz) apiece, which are worn on wrists, ankles, hips and head.
These enable full-body motion tracking when paired with a companion iOS/Android app running on a smartphone – without the need for expensive studio setups, multiple cameras, or trained operators.
The 32 x 11.6-mm (1.25 x 0.45-in) trackers sport a 3DoF accelerometer plus a 3DoF angular-rate sensor, are IPX5/8 water-resistant and IP6X dustproof, and the system comes with Velcro bands and clips. The internal battery is reckoned good for up to 10 hours of per-charge use.
Sony promises measurement accuracy courtesy of its proprietary algorithm, and creators can record a Full HD video of their avatars strutting their funky stuff at 30 frames per second, or send motion data to compatible third-party software at 50 fps for real-time interaction with VR environments.
A Software Development Kit is also available for developers to create applications in software such as Unity and Unreal Engine for movie-making, animation and game production without needing to blow the project budget on professional setups.
The Mocopi system is available for pre-order now for US$449, with shipping expected to start from July 14. The video below has more, but the motion-capture setup will be demonstrated at the Anime Expo in LA between July 1 and 4 if you want to try before you buy.
Product page: Mocopi