Sony recently made the introduction of a mobile motion-capture system in Japan. This launch, done by Sony, worked with a companion app to create a VR avatar for gaming or chat operations. Now the Mocopi system is all set to take pre-order in the US.
The package is made up of six coloured tracking sensors that weigh about 8 g (0.2 oz) a piece. These tracking sensors can be worn on wrists, ankles, hips and head.
These tracking sensors are enabled for full-body motion tracking when paired with a companion iOS/Android app running on a smartphone. There is no need for expensive studio setups, multiple cameras, or trained operators.
The 32 x 11.6-mm (1.25 x 0.45-in) trackers are inherited with a 3DoF accelerometer and a 3DoF angular-rate sensor. They also have IPX5/8 water-resistant and IP6X dustproof systems into them. The system comes with Velcro bands and clips. The internal battery is good for up to 10 hours of per-charge usage.
Sony claims to have measurement accuracy courtesy of its proprietary algorithm. In addition, the creators can record a Full HD video of their avatars strutting their funky stuff at 30 frames per second. The creator can also transmit the motion data to compatible third-party software at 50 fps for real-time interaction with VR environments.
A Software Development Kit is available for developers to create applications in software such as Unity and Unreal Engine for movie-making, animation and game production. All this can be done without the requirement to blow the project budget on professional setups.
The Mocopi system is available for pre-order in the US at just US$449. The shipping is expected to get initiated on July 14. The motion-capture setup will only be demonstrated at the Anime Expo in LA in July.
