Looking back at a unique capture session we conducted in 2024 for Being Laser – Restless Limbs, an experimental video project by Swiss visual artist Alan Bogana.
While motion capture is often associated with controlled studio environments, some projects require us to step far outside these conditions. For this production, two performers were recorded inside a vertical wind tunnel, where a powerful upward airflow allowed them to perform complex body-flight movements.
This raised several technical challenges:
- How do inertial sensors behave in a high-speed airflow environment?
- How do you ensure accurate body tracking when performers continuously rotate and move in three dimensions?
- How do you maintain performer comfort and data quality while wearing a motion capture suit in free flight?
To address these challenges, the two performers flew while wearing Xsens inertial motion capture suits, enabling full-body motion capture in conditions far removed from a traditional studio setup. Careful preparation and close collaboration with the production team helped ensure reliable tracking throughout the capture sessions.
The resulting motion data contributed to the creation of the digital characters featured in Being Laser – Restless Limbs, demonstrating how motion capture can support artistic projects even in highly unconventional settings.
At Artanim, we enjoy exploring the limits of motion capture technology and finding ways to bring movement into the digital world, wherever it happens.
More info about the project: https://artanim.ch/project/restless-glows/ and https://www.alanbogana.com/portfolio/restlessglows/