Sony Mocopi
| Sony Mocopi | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Body Tracking system |
| Subtype | Inertial motion capture, VTuber / avatar tracking |
| Platform | Smartphone (Android / iOS), PC |
| Creator | Sony |
| Developer | Sony Corporation |
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Announcement Date | November 29, 2022 |
| Release Date | January 20, 2023 (Japan); July 14, 2023 (United States) |
| Price | 49,500 yen (Japan); $449 (United States) |
| Website | https://www.sony.net/Products/mocopi-dev/ |
| Versions | QM-SS1 (6-sensor kit) |
| Requires | Compatible smartphone (iPhone 12 or later / supported Android), or PC for advanced workflows |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | None |
| System | |
| Operating System | N/A (companion app on Android / iOS) |
| Chipset | N/A |
| CPU | N/A |
| GPU | N/A |
| Storage | |
| Storage | N/A |
| Memory | N/A |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | N/A |
| Resolution | N/A |
| Refresh Rate | N/A |
| Image | |
| Field of View | N/A |
| Horizontal FoV | N/A |
| Vertical FoV | N/A |
| Optics | |
| Optics | N/A |
| Ocularity | N/A |
| IPD Range | N/A |
| Adjustable Diopter | N/A |
| Passthrough | N/A |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Inertial (IMU), 6-point body tracking |
| Base Stations | None (no external cameras or base stations) |
| Eye Tracking | N/A |
| Face Tracking | N/A |
| Hand Tracking | N/A |
| Body Tracking | Yes (6 sensors: head, hip, both wrists, both ankles) |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes (per-sensor orientation) |
| Positional Tracking | Estimated via Sony algorithm (no external reference) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | N/A |
| Microphone | N/A |
| Camera | N/A |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth (sensors to app); Wi-Fi (app to PC) |
| Ports | USB Type-C (charging case) |
| WiFi | Used for sending motion data to a PC |
| Bluetooth | Yes (sensor link) |
| Power | Rechargeable battery (per sensor) |
| Battery Capacity | N/A |
| Battery Life | Up to ~10 hours |
| Charge Time | ~1.5 hours (USB-C) |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 32 x 11.6 mm per sensor |
| Weight | ~8 g per sensor |
| Material | Plastic housing; silicone bands / clip |
| Headstrap | N/A |
| Haptics | N/A |
| Color | White |
| Sensors | Per unit: 3DoF accelerometer + 3DoF angular-rate (gyroscope) |
| Input | Body motion (full-body avatar tracking) |
| Compliance | IPX5/IPX8 water resistance, IP6X dust resistance |
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Sony Mocopi (stylized mocopi, model number QM-SS1) is a wearable body-tracking and motion-capture system developed by Sony. It uses six small wireless inertial sensors worn on the body together with a companion smartphone app to drive a full-body avatar in real time, aimed at VTubers, social-VR users, content creators and indie developers rather than professional studios.[1][2] The name is a contraction of "motion capture."[3] Sony announced Mocopi on November 29, 2022, launched it in Japan on January 20, 2023 for 49,500 yen, and brought it to the United States in July 2023 for $449.[4][1][5]
Unlike camera-based or SteamVR lighthouse tracking, Mocopi relies entirely on inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a proprietary Sony estimation algorithm, so it needs no external cameras, base stations or markers and can be used outdoors or in confined spaces.[2][6] Because it is inertial, it requires per-user calibration and is subject to positional drift, and Sony positions it as a casual, affordable way to add body tracking rather than a studio-grade solution.[6][3]
History
Sony first revealed Mocopi on November 29, 2022, presenting it as a consumer-oriented motion-tracking device for animating avatars in the metaverse and for video content.[4][2] Pre-orders in Japan opened on December 22, 2022 at a price of 49,500 yen (about $358 at the time), and the product shipped on January 20, 2023.[6][4] A software development kit (SDK) for third-party integration was released on December 15, 2022.[6]
Sony Electronics announced the United States launch in mid-2023. Pre-orders opened on June 29, 2023 at $449, sold through Sony's own electronics store, with units shipping to customers starting July 14, 2023.[1][5] Coverage framed Mocopi as one of the first body-tracking kits targeted at the mainstream rather than professional mocap users, competing on price and portability against PC-tethered options such as Vive Tracker arrays and the open-source SlimeVR project.[6][7]
Hardware
A Mocopi kit consists of six identical wireless sensors plus a charging case.[1][2] Each sensor is a small disc measuring 32 x 11.6 mm and weighing roughly 8 grams, attached to the body with color-coded silicone bands or a clip.[2][7] The six sensors are worn on the head, the hip, both wrists and both ankles, and the colored markings help the user place each sensor in the correct position.[1][6]
Every sensor contains an inertial measurement unit combining a 3DoF accelerometer, which tracks physical movement, with a 3DoF angular-rate sensor (gyroscope) that tracks orientation in 3D space.[2][7] Sony's proprietary algorithm fuses the data from all six points to reconstruct the position and pose of the whole body, including limbs that have no sensor of their own.[1][2] The sensors are rated IPX5/IPX8 for water resistance and IP6X for dust resistance, are quoted at up to about 10 hours of use per charge, and recharge in roughly 1.5 hours over USB-C using the bundled case.[2][7]
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model | QM-SS1 |
| Sensors | 6 wireless inertial sensors |
| Worn on | Head, hip, both wrists, both ankles |
| Sensor size | 32 x 11.6 mm |
| Sensor weight | ~8 g each |
| Sensor type | 3DoF accelerometer + 3DoF angular-rate (gyroscope) |
| Tracking method | Inertial (IMU) with Sony estimation algorithm; no cameras or base stations |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth (to app); Wi-Fi (app to PC) |
| Battery life | Up to ~10 hours |
| Charge time | ~1.5 hours (USB-C) |
| Durability | IPX5/IPX8 water resistant, IP6X dustproof |
| Weight per sensor | ~8 g |
Software and ecosystem
The six sensors connect over Bluetooth to a free companion app available for Android and iOS, which performs the body-tracking calculations on the phone.[1][2] At launch Sony officially supported recent iPhones (iPhone 12 and later) and several Sony Xperia models, while noting that other Android phones might work.[1][6] Within the app a creator can record their avatar as a Full HD video at 30 frames per second, or stream the raw motion data to compatible third-party software at 50 frames per second.[2]
Mocopi can send its motion stream to a PC over Wi-Fi for more advanced workflows, and Sony shipped integrations and a developer SDK for popular content tools, including Unity, Autodesk MotionBuilder and Unreal Engine, as well as a built-in integration with the social platform VRChat.[1][7] The VRChat support lets users add full-body avatar movement on standalone headsets such as the Meta Quest without a PC, an approach distinct from PC-only tracker setups.[3][6] Typical use cases include VTuber streaming, social-VR embodiment and previsualization or indie animation work.[7][2]
Reception
Reviewers generally welcomed Mocopi as an unusually portable and affordable entry into body tracking while cautioning about its accuracy ceiling. Road to VR noted that "positional drift is a real concern" and described the device as a way to "casually jump into body tracking and not get that 100 percent accuracy."[3] UploadVR similarly observed that IMU-based systems "require per-user calibration, are subject to drifting, and don't give the same quality as true positional tracking systems like SteamVR Lighthouse."[6] Inverse contrasted Mocopi's 50 Hz motion-capture rate with the higher rates of some competing solutions, framing it as a trade-off of precision for price and convenience.[7] Commentators consistently characterized Mocopi as one of the first attempts to bring full-body motion capture to a mainstream, smartphone-based audience.[4][6]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Sony Electronics Announces Mobile Motion Capture System "mocopi" in the U.S. market". June 29, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-electronics-announces-mobile-motion-capture-system-mocopi-in-the-us-market-301866502.html.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 "Sony's Mocopi system takes motion capture mobile". June 30, 2023. https://newatlas.com/vr/sony-mocopi-motion-capture-mobile/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Sony's Mocap Device Lets 'VRChat' Users Unleash Their Inner Anime Girl". June 30, 2023. https://www.roadtovr.com/sony-mocopi-vr-tracking-us-release/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Sony to launch 49,500 yen wearables to animate users' movements in the metaverse". November 30, 2022. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/30/business/corporate-business/sony-metaverse-mocopi-motion-wearables/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Sony's Smartphone Motion Tracking System Will Be Available in the US Next Month for $449". June 29, 2023. https://gizmodo.com/sony-mocopi-motion-tracking-us-launch-449-1850571826.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 "Sony's Mocopi Is A Quest-Compatible VRChat Body Tracking Kit For Japan". November 29, 2022. https://www.uploadvr.com/sony-mocopi-imu-body-tracking-japan/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 "Sony Mocopi: price, release date, and specs for the motion capture wearable". November 29, 2022. https://www.inverse.com/gear/sony-mocopi-price-release-date-specs-motion-capture-wearable.