Compare inertial mocap with camera-based optical systems

IMU-based sensor systems (usually suits) and camera-based optical systems both offer pros and cons.

Read the comparison

Artwork by Oliver Høgh, from the animation challenge hosted by @pwnisher

Mocap suits vs video-based mocap systems

Mocap suits

Video-based mocap systems

Data quality
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Data quality

The fidelity and accuracy with which the actor's motions are captured

Production ready: high fidelity capture (little to no post-production clean up).
Not production ready: low fidelity capture (substantial clean up required in post).
Occlusion
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Occlusion

Occlusion refers to when a body part or marker is temporarily hidden from the motion capture system's view, resulting in potential inaccuracies or gaps in captured motion data that require manual fixes in post-production.

No occlusion: sensor-based tracking requires no line of sight (since there are no cameras involved).
Prone to occlusion: blind spots in the tracking result in hazardous 3D motion approximations.
Tracking space
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Tracking space

The area in which the motion capture system can be used

Flexible: sensor-based tracking requires no specific area (WiFi determines range), nor any lighting or environment conditions (mocap behind your desk or in a forest, tracking will always be optimal).
Limited: distance to the camera (can't be too close nor too far), having the body in frame, as well as good lighting conditions and a clear background are baseline requirements to even get started.
Set up time
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Set up time

Time required from idea to production-ready animation

Fast, 1 min - jump in the suit, connect to wifi and start capturing motions within 1 minute
Slow, 15 min - find a good tracking space, position cameras on tripods, calibrate, wear contrasted clothing
Real-time tracking
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Real-time tracking

The ability to view and manipulate the animation data as it is being captured

Supported: visualize & capture 3D motions in real-time: record, iterate, edit or even live stream the data to any 3D software.
Not supported: post-processing of the video file is required, meaning that any real-time animation process is impossible.
Face & Finger capture
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Face & Finger capture

The ability to track facial and finger animations (alongside body animations)

Supported: capture body, finger and facial animations in a single performance. The Smartsuit Pro II, Smartgloves and Face capture are integrated plug & play tools.
Not supported: AI systems only cover the capture of body motions. Finger and and facial animations need to be captured separately with other tools.
Number of actors
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Number of actors

The number of performers that can be captured at the same time in the same scene

Up to 5: capture multiple performers' motions simultaneously, with all the animation data in sync, for rich interactive scenes.
Up to 1: AI systems are not yet able to capture the motions of multiple performers (meaning each performance needs to be recorded separately and stitched in post).
Production stage
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Production stage

The stages in production in which such systems are suitable to use, with a clear upside or return

All stages of production: from animatic, to previs, to production and post-production, the versatility of IMU systems proves a useful tool throughout productions
Limited stages of production: mainly for the storyboard & animatic stage, as data quality and lack of real-time use don't facilitate other stages of production

Witness it for yourself

Schedule a free personal Zoom demo with our team, we'll show you all our mocap tools, answer your questions and give advice on your projects and needs

Product Specialists Francesco and Paulina host Zoom demos from the Copenhagen office