Motion Capture FAQ

1. GENERAL:

1. What are recommended accessories for motion capture?
2. What type of motions can be captured?
3. Is sample data captured from the system available for review?
4. Is it possible to use props and have them captured along with the skeleton data?

2. TRACKING:

1. Is ARENA software capable of real-time tracking and skeleton solving?
2. How accurate is the tracking?
3. How many actors/skeletons can be tracked at a time?
4. How does ARENA tell the difference between multiple actors/skeletons?
5. Are custom skeletons supported?
6. Is capture of facial movement and fingers supported?
7. What capture volume sizes are supported?
8. Can fast motions like baseball bat and golf club swings be captured?
9. Can facial mocap be captured at the same time as full body mocap?

3. SOFTWARE FORMATS/EXPORTS/STREAMING:

1. What export formats are supported for motion data?
2. What is the frame rate of the real-time streaming from ARENA?
3. Can the real-time streaming skeleton data be recorded using the MotionBuilder plugin?
4. Also see: Software Licensing & Activation FAQ

4. HARDWARE/SETUP:

1. Which cameras can be used with ARENA software?
2. How many cameras do you recommend, and what is the maximum number?
3. What is the best way to mount the cameras?
4. What are the system requirements for motion capture?
5. Can the motion capture data be synchronized to external sources?
6. What is the maximum distance a camera can be used at?

1. General

1-01. What are recommended accessories for motion capture?

Expand the Foundation Package with the following accessory options:

• OptiTrack Motion Capture Suit
• Motion Capture Marker Sets
• Camera Mounts
  

1-02. What type of motions can be captured?

The ARENA software line has the fidelity to capture all types of human body movement including both subtle and fast motion. Facial movement and skeletons can be tracked as long as a sufficient number of markers are visible; some positions may require adjustment to the marker set and camera placement. More dynamic motions will benefit from a larger capture volume to work within.

1-03. Is sample data captured from the system available for review?

Sample data captures are available in BVH and C3D formats from the video section.

1-04. Is it possible to use props and have them captured along with the skeleton data?

Yes, props with 3+ marker configurations can be captured as rigid bodies.

2. Tracking

2-01. Is ARENA software capable of real-time tracking and skeleton solving?

Yes, real-time preview with skeleton solving is supported. This includes the ability to stream live skeleton data to MotionBuilder using a plug-in.

2-02. How accurate is the tracking?

The 3D location of markers can be resolved with millimeter accuracy and resolution depending on capture volume size and camera configuration. Increasing the number of cameras can help improve the tracking performance if needed.

2-03. How many actors/skeletons can be captured?

Two actors/skeletons can be tracked at the same time. Support for more than two actors is under development.

2-04. How does ARENA tell the difference between multiple actors/skeletons?

ARENA uses the position of the back waist marker to identify different skeletons. For two actors, we recommended that one skeleton have the waist marker offset to the left of the spine and the other have the waist marker offset to the right.

2-05. Are custom skeletons supported?

ARENA does not support importing skeletons, but it is on the list for future versions. For animation in Max, you could apply BVH data to the model, or you could go through MotionBuilder and rig the C3D data from ARENA to your skeleton.

2-06. Is capture of facial movement and fingers supported?

Capture of facial movements is possible with the ARENA Expression™ software*. Support for individual finger tracking is still under development.

* ARENA Expression's projected release date is September 2008.

2-07. What capture volume sizes are supported?

Camera setup areas of up to 20' x 20' (400 square feet) are supported; this typically produces a usable capture volume of 12' x 12' (144 square feet).

2-08. Can fast motions like baseball bat and golf club swings be captured?

The V100 camera frame rate is 100 FPS, but the shutter rate is 1000 Hz, so it is possible to capture non-smeared motion for most objects. A golf club head travels at about 125 MPH, and that can be captured. It would have a large gap of about 18" between samples, but the motion is linear at the fastest point, and could be interpolated if desired.

2-09. Can facial mocap be captured at the same time as full body mocap?

Camera configurations which are ideal for full body mocap are usually not suitable for face mocap, so capturing face and body motion at the same time is not currently supported. Support for capturing both at the same time is under development.

3. Software Formats/Exports/Streaming

3-01. What export formats are supported for motion data?

Data can be exported to .bvh and .c3d formats, along with a real-time plug-in to MotionBuilder.

Additionally, ARENA Expression™ includes real-time streaming to FaceRobot and DAZ Studio.

3-02. What is the frame rate of the real-time streaming from ARENA?

The real-time streaming rate to MotionBuilder (or other NatNet clients) is based on the skeleton tracking rate which is 100 FPS using V100 cameras under normal circumstances.

To achieve the best performance, ARENA should be run on a different computer than the application (MotionBuilder, etc.) to which the data is being streamed.

3-03. Can the real-time streaming skeleton data be recorded using the MotionBuilder plugin?

Yes.
1. Stream data to MotionBuilder.
2. Click on the Recording check box in the MB plugin's OptiTrack Optical pane.
3. Click the Record button in MB's Transport Controls dialog.
4. Click the Play Forward button in MB's Transport Controls dialog.
5. Click the Play Forward button again to stop recording.

4. Hardware/Setup

4-01. Which cameras can be used with ARENA software?

OptiTrack V100 cameras can be used with the ARENA motion capture software. OptiTrack FLEX:3 and C120 cameras are not supported.

4-02. How many cameras do you recommend, and what is the maximum number?

Six cameras in the minimum for single actor full body motion capture, and eight are recommended for improved tracking and a larger capture volume. For two actors at the same time, 12 cameras is the minimum. The current limit is 24 cameras. Support for more cameras is under development.

4-03. What is the best way to mount the cameras?

Cameras should be setup so that they do not shake and are not easily moved. If any camera is moved once calibrated, tracking accuracy may be affected and the cameras should be recalibrated.

Suitable mounting hardware includes tripods on concrete floors, truss work*, and wall mount brackets.

See the motion capture page for recommended camera setup diagrams.

* NaturalPoint recommends truss systems from Milos Structural Systems and Trussworks.com.

4-04. What are the system requirements for motion capture?

See the minimum system requirements listed on the ARENA motion capture software page.

The Foundation Package and recommended accessories provide you with the building blocks for your motion capture studio.

4-05. Can the motion capture data be synchronized to external sources?

The ability to sync to external sources such as timing signals, audio and force plates is not currently supported. The cameras generate a sync signal which could be logged using a data collection device to sync the data.

4-06. What is the maximum distance a camera can be used from the computer?

The maximum cable length for a direct USB connection is 5 meters (16 feet). Hubs and active extension cables can be used to increase the range of use. The recommended configuration for large volumes is to connect hub(s) to the computer using active extension cables, then connect cameras to the hub(s).

Please let us know if you have a question that is not addressed here, by emailing us via our contact form. Also see the general OptiTrack FAQ.

You may also want to join the discussion on our Motion Capture forums.