Jasper Brekelmans, a Netherlands-based 3D tech artist, has recently released a motion capture tool offering an easy way to record OpenVR tracking data from headsets, motion controllers and Vive Trackers for both Vive and Rift setups. Called OpenVR Recorder, the data collected by the program can be used for 3D animation and visual effects production, with many other potential applications in tracking and research.
As described in the video, the software can record to the FBX file format used in industry standard 3D apps, with support for up to 16 simultaneous devices, for example the headset, two hand controllers, two Vive base stations and eleven Vive Trackers.
Unlike IKinema’s Orion software, whose focus is on inverse kinematics solving for human skeletons, Brekelmans explained that OpenVR Recorder has been “designed to be more general and does not focus purely on humans.” While it can also be used for effective human motion capture, this broader approach for multiple OpenVR devices means that the tool can be used to record camera tracking or indeed any objects with Vive Trackers attached.
As it can record all movement and inputs of a VR game or application while running in realtime in the background, it can also be used as a means of assessing user behaviour during playtesting, so there are some similarities with Aldin Dynamics’ Ghostline tool. OpenVR Recorder can also enable audio and video capture from the Vive’s on-board microphone and camera.
Brekelmans’ years of expertise in professional motion capture projects lead to the development of the Brekel tool set for simple markerless motion capture using Kinect, and he has experimented with various projects in the VR/AR space using Kinect, Leap Motion and HoloLens technology.