Here's some PlayStation-adjacent news for you from Sony Japan. The company's latest innovation is Mocopi, a set of motion capture devices you attach to your body and use with a mobile device to animate your personal avatar.
You can get a feel for what it's all about in the above video. The set includes six small sensors you secure to your head, wrists, hip, and ankles, and your movements are then translated to an avatar in real-time. You can record your animations and share them with your friends. It looks like it works pretty well, and it's a portable solution too, letting you take it out and about.
As well as using Mocopi for the metaverse and augmented reality, a plugin developed by Sony allows the animations you create to be exported to other software, such as Unity and MotionBuilder. The official website also lists VRChat and Virtual Motion Capture.
This obviously won't appeal to everyone, but it certainly makes this type of thing very accessible. It's due to go on sale in Japan in January 2023, but there's no word of a western release just yet. Would you be interested in Mocopi? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
[source sony.jp, via twitter.com]
Comments 24
This is pretty cool. It could essentially make motion capture somewhat possible on a very small budget. Not something I would personally buy but I get the appeal.
Interesting idea but this looks like a bloody nightmare to set up, charging and pairing 6 different sensors via Bluetooth and then attach 6 different sensors in different areas of your body.
That sounds like a workout in itself
Dreams compatible?
@Americansamurai1 Unlikely but that would be cool!
Man becomes anime girl
@Quintumply really think Sony forgot dreams exists
Perhaps combined with VR it can allow tracking of arms and legs for your avatar?
The problem I have with "the" metaverse (for there are dozens) is that none of them are doing anything original at all. Its all been done before just in a slightly different form.
We are a LONG way from Ready Player One.
@Icey664 So... the dream of most male anime fans?
(Joke)
@LifeGirl though annoying, them heavily focusing on it now will lead to the rapid growth that's needed to get there
Using in tandem with PSVR2 could be interesting
This... Looks kinda cool actually?
This will be very cool once it works its way into VR.
@LifeGirl Not to mention the fact that the metaverse raises any number of ethical concerns. We can't even moderate big tech companies on the internet. I'd love to know how companies plan to moderate the metaverse, which holds far more potential for harassing behaviour.
@theMEGAniggle Eh. It's still too early. If it doesn't take off then they will drop it like a stone. How many companies are talking about NFTs these days 🤔
@Jey887 difference is that NFTs are a huge scam. Paying money to own pixels.
The Metaverse is just an awkward word for anything that is essentially a shared VR space. That will catch on in so many forms in the future. VR Cinemas, VR gaming sessions, they need to push it now so it is normalised
Combine this tech with VR2 please...
@theMEGAniggle I see what you are saying but the adoption rate for VR is still really low due to the huge barrier of entry (in both a monetary sense and a practical one). They can push it as much as they like but it's still too early.
Once VR/ AR becomes more affordable and is as easy as putting on a pair of specs the 'Metaverse' (god I despise that term) marketing will be in full swing.
Pretty cool, not something for me personally but I could see this becoming a 'normal' activity once it somehow makes its way through VR.
Looks interesting even though I am an older adult and don't have the energy of a teen.
i’d rather go outside
...The potential for it to turn into the evolution of the adult phone line is pretty high, especially if combined with VR. Js.
@Jey887 agreed. But it will only catch on with Meta, Sony, Microsoft, Apple and everyone else forcing it down our throats
@Americansamurai1 I think Sony have forgotten that Media Molecule exist! Perhaps they appear on the payroll as 'Special Projects' or something?
Have to wonder what are they working on in their "PS4 only" bunker?
Dreams on PS5? No
LBP 1 & 2 brought up to date? No
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