Second skin motion sensor is a frugal option for special effects

The people involved in motion pictures spend millions of dollars to create breath-taking special affects using high-tech motion-tracking devices. Courtesy of the large production houses, money isn’t an issue when people make such high-tech movies. It isn’t that we are advising them to use money judiciously, but they still can save thousands of dollars when it comes to motion tracking devices. MIT has come up with a very inexpensive (compared to the ones in use) Second Skin motion tracking device that can be assimilated for a meager $1,000. The Second Skin sheds all cameras and brings into use, photo sensors, vibrating sensors and a projector.

second skin mit

A frugal setup does not hinder the result, as this setup is capable of tracing 10,000 patterns every second. It is not just the money saving part, the projectors can be placed at angles which enable motion capturing in areas where no one has ventured before, even with all the optical technology involved. A small microcontroller worn by the user receives information from the sensors which then transmits the data to a computer via Bluetooth.

Movies that are heavily dependant on special effects could do a lot of cost saving if the people involved thoroughly explored the technology brought into use by the MIT-developed Second Skin. It may not be customary for production giants to think economically, but this technology could change some regulations forever.

Via: Techradar