Secret Service plans to buy motion capture technology to produce 3D animation and training products

The Secret Service plans to negotiate a sole source contract with Xsens North America Inc. for its 3D Motion Capture System, the agency announced.

The Secret Service will purchase Xsens Inertial Motion Capture System Hardware and Software, according to the announcement.

3D modeling and simulation hardware and software will be used by the agency’s modeling and simulation section for the production of realistic human movement of virtual characters virtual real-time environments and rendered movies.

“Realistic and precise human movement is a very important part of the mission planning, briefing, training and animation portions of the work that the M&S section performs,” the announcement states. “The tools that the M&S section utilizes are often highly specialized and more expensive than similar but less capable alternatives in the marketplace.

The modeling and simulation section hopes to purchase one inertial motion capture system, consisting of four complete motion capture suits, associated hardware, software, and training for data collection, processing and output of of human movement in a virtual environment.

This is a new program within the Multi-media Operations Branch and part of an effort to produce significant improvements to the accuancy, realism, and timely production 3D animation and real-time training products.

Previously, the section relied on pre-packaged animation data which lacked USSS specific data, did not always fit mission objectives, and created additional time delays with the need to hand edit or create motion capture data from scratch.

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