Mocap Specialist to Showcase Head-Mounted Facial-Capture and Hand-Held Device for Navigating Virtual Space

Motion-capture system maker Vicon will be showing the latest revision of its Blade software, which puts a new emphasis on real-time processing, at SIGGRAPH next week. Blade 2, which has been in alpha-testing mode since last October, includes a new real-time processing engine called Axiom.

"We're literally delivering data to the client before they get back to their desk," said Ben Guthrie, motion capture supervisor at alpha site Framestore, in a prepared statement. Vison says the new system cleanly reproduces performances by multiple characters in "complex" situations.

Vicon hasn't committed to a release date for Blade 2, which was first featured at last year's SIGGRAPH, but a spokesperson tells StudioDaily that November is the current goal.

Also on display from Vicon is its new Interaction Device (right), a handheld tracking tool for interacting with virtual objects in a 3D environment. Vicon's device offers haptic feedback (vibration) upon collision detection and to help with identifying objects. It's designed to work with as few as two of the company's inexpensive Bonita cameras or with its largest flagship T-Series system.

Finally, Vicon will have Cara, its head-mounted facial-capture system, the first commercialized product from the "Mobile Mocap" technology utilizing lipstick sized motion-capture cameras that was shown at SIGGRAPH 2011. Schedule a vist to the Vicon booth on Wednesday or Thursday if you want to see a live demo of Cara — and, perhaps, wear the thing yourself.

For more information: www.vicon.com