3D body motion tracking has been used by Hollywood studios to make films and video games for years.
Indeed, one of the first uses of 3D body tracking technology can be found in The Matrix. Unfortunately, most of the related technology is still very expensive, effectively limiting its use to large entertainment companies with big pockets.
Enter Xsens, a company that will be showcasing the world’s first wearable 3D body motion tracking system based on consumer-grade MEMS sensors at CES 2013. The company hopes to license the technology, which was originally targeted at professional applications, for mainstream mobile devices.
Xsens says that its technology enables accurate, real-time tracking of body motion with one or more sensors connected to a smartphone. To be sure, the sensors are capable of deliveing real-time 3D joint angles, position and velocity.
The company hopes the sensors will be ultimately be integrated into wearable devices for sports, fitness, gaming and healthcare applications.
Essentially, the sensors would be designed to offer real-time 3D body motion data for apps that recognize and classify complex motions, such as sports techniques, while digitizing a user’s exact movements for feedback, analysis and sharing.
