Part 5 in our camera review series.
Another manufacturer of a Theia-compatible video system is CONTEMPLAS, a motion analysis software company based in Germany with a particular focus on advanced camera technologies. We’ve included a short summary of the key features below:
Key Features:
Flexible and practically unlimited number of synchronized cameras to suit the desired capture volume
Variable system deployment with different resolutions, frame rates and interfaces according to the user’s requirements including 2048x1536 at 190 fps, 1920x1080 at 250 fps, 1280x720 at 400 fps
Fixed and mobile installations for indoor and outdoor applications
CONTEMPLAS provides a single user-friendly software solution, TEMPLO®, used to handle the entire pipeline from recording and tracking to analysis and reporting.
Components:
CONTEMPLAS camera systems can be configured in numerous ways to suit the needs of the user, including a flexible number of cameras which can be integrated with other external devices, and different camera types for different applications. USB3-based cameras are easy to set up without the need for a power supply and can record at HD resolution up to 165 fps. GigE cameras provide greater flexibility by allowing longer cables and more cameras to be used, recording at higher frame rates of up to 216 fps, but require dedicated power supplies or power-over-ethernet (POE). Being able to select the camera type for your system ensures that your needs are met and you can get the most value from your new markerless system.
When considering a markerless motion capture system, it’s also important to carefully consider your use case - the motions you’ll be recording, the environment you’ll be recording in, and the required size of the volume. By using a camera system that has considerable flexibility in terms of the number of cameras and their configuration, you can adapt your system to best suit your needs.
CONTEMPLAS offers a variety of camera types with USB3 and GigE interfacing. The setup can be tailored to the user’s needs by supporting a wide range of camera resolutions and frame rate options. Supported camera manufacturers include Allied Vision, Basler, Baumer, FLIR and Matrix Vision, among others. In general any camera that complies with the GigE- or USB3-Vision-Standard are viable options.
In this video, you can see how the flexibility of camera setups can allow for diverse, real-world movements to be analyzed.
Synchronized Data Acquisition Software:
An often overlooked but equally important part of any camera system is the software used to control the acquisition and handling of the data. TEMPLO® software is much more than just a video recording platform; data from all kinds of sensors including force platforms, EMG systems or pressure mapping devices can be collected and synchronized with the video footage. This software uses precision time protocol (PTP) to ensure precise synchronization of all hardware components, without any additional wiring or a sync-box. And with a user-friendly design and lots of functionality, TEMPLO® offers an excellent all-in-one software solution to record, process, and report on your recorded movements.
Setup and Calibration:
Calibrating a CONTEMPLAS video camera system is a simple two-step process. First, an intrinsic lens calibration is required to account for any variation in the video image due to the shape of the camera lens. Next, an extrinsic calibration can be performed to determine the 3D position and orientation of the cameras in the system, relative to your desired laboratory coordinate system. Both of these steps can be completed with the help of a calibration chessboard once the system is up and running.
In this video, a CONTEMPLAS multi camera system is tracking multiple subjects playing volleyball using Theia3D.
Data recording and transfer:
TEMPLO® software is an all-in-one platform that allows seamless recording, analysis and reporting, with predefined analysis templates and workflows. Once the video footage and sensor data have been recorded, the video data is processed through Theia3D with no user input required. While the markerless tracking process is running in the background, the user can simultaneously analyze the recording in TEMPLO®. This allows you to make use of the various video analysis tools such as simultaneous comparison of up to four recordings at one time.
Once the tracking is complete, the kinematic data is automatically loaded, ready to be analyzed. With built-in analysis tools such as event definition for specific chronological timepoints, you can quickly and easily prepare movement sequences and compare different time points. For biomechanical modelling, both kinematic and kinetic data can be exported to Visual3D for analysis in even greater detail.
Conclusion
When it comes to solutions for markerless motion capture, CONTEMPLAS offers a very wide variety of system specifications and setup flexibility, excellent integration with external devices, and a user-friendly, all-in-one recording, analysis and reporting solution through TEMPLO® software. And with years of experience in the motion analysis industry, they’ll be able to help address your needs and support their product with exceptional support.
Do you have more questions? Click here to learn more about using Theia3D with CONTEMPLAS systems or reach out to them here.