motion capture

American  

[moh-shuhn kap-cher] / ˈmoʊ ʃən ˌkæp tʃər /

noun

1. a data collection technique in which the movements of people and objects are tracked, recorded, and rendered to create animations, as for a video game.

---

motion capture British  

noun

1. a process by which a device can be used to capture patterns of live movement; the data is then transmitted to a computer, where simulation software displays it applied to a virtual actor

---

Etymology

Origin of motion capture

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The 28-year-old says she is already a "massive fan" of actress Deborah Ann Woll who voiced and provided the motion capture for the character in God of War Ragnarök.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

During their first two visits, participants received a baseline MRI and walked on a pressure sensitive treadmill while motion capture cameras measured the mechanics of their gait.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

The motion capture system used to prescribe each person's walking change is expensive and time consuming.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

The big barrier was a disagreement over motion capture actors whose work was treated as "data" rather than as a performance.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025

In 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin was recreated through a mix of motion capture, CGI and archival material, decades after Cushing’s death.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2025