Top considerations for markerless motion capture systems

Background

With continued improvements in motion capture technology, more and more biomechanics laboratories are considering the value of a markerless motion capture system. But what exactly should you consider when vetting new technologies for your research program? We have come up with a list of considerations that all investigators should evaluate when considering a shift from traditional marker-based systems to markerless motion capture. Each of these considerations should be carefully reviewed before any investment in new technologies.

Criteria	Consideration
Validation	Has this technology been validated and what groups are currently using the system? Does the technology introduce more or less bias than existing 'state-of-the-art' systems?
Ease of Use	Does the technology require extensive training to become a competent user? Will the data collection protocol create more or less problems for your research team?
Frame Rate	What is the maximum frame rate and resolution of the system? If the frame rate is increased, does the resolution decrease?
Versatility	Can the technology accommodate patients and athletes wearing various types of clothing? How does the technology perform with clinical and non-healthy populations?
Lighting	Does the system work well in environments with varying lighting conditions (i.e., indoor vs. outdoor, multiple light sources)?
Multi-person Tracking	Can the system accurately identify multiple individuals within the field of view? Can the system identify the same individuals as they come into and out of the field of view?
Hardware Capability	Is the system compatible with multiple hardware systems? If not, what are the risks associated with procuring a system that supports only one vendor? Does the technology integrate with peripheral devices like force plates or EMG systems?
Data Analysis Integration	Does the system integrate/export to industry-best data analysis tools like Visual3D?
Privacy and Security	Is data managed in the cloud or locally within the facility/lab? Who owns the data?
Service and Support	Are there different options in the service/support offered by the vendor? What is a standard support term? What is included in the support fee? Will this include software upgrades and new releases?
Pricing	What are the upfront costs? What are the recurring costs?

So yes, a few things to consider, but they are really important before buying a markerless motion capture system. If you have further questions about how to select the best camera for your markerless motion capture application, please contact Theia Markerless here. We would be happy to hear from you and can also provide a demo of Theia3D.