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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of motion capture

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

CGI, motion capture and visual effects have enriched stories, creating worlds that could never otherwise exist.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

Beimel uses motion capture to provide pitching feedback, and uses health technology that coincides with its athletes having to self-report daily to track overexertion and determine how best to use their bodies.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 20, 2025

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

"If you came out to Los Angeles to be a motion capture actor, then your entire existence is being threatened by AI," he says.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025

"Maybe we can do like a motion capture day somehow. Do some animal studies, as it were."

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2024