Thriving Through Movement: The Science of Motion and Its Role in a Healthy Society

In a world that’s constantly in motion, the science of movement has never been more important. From everyday activities like walking and lifting to high-performance athletic feats and groundbreaking medical therapies, understanding the mechanics of human motion is essential for creating a healthier, more thriving society. Motion Analysis Corporation (MAC) has positioned itself at the forefront of this movement revolution, enabling researchers, clinicians, and innovators to deepen their knowledge of how we move—and why it matters.

Movement as a Measure of Health

Movement is fundamental to life. It affects our physical health, mental well-being, and societal productivity. Whether it’s helping an elderly person regain mobility, enabling a dancer to refine their performance, or developing rehabilitative strategies for individuals recovering from injuries, motion analysis is integral to improving quality of life.

Today, as we face an aging global population and a rise in musculoskeletal disorders, the demand for a deeper understanding of movement is more pressing than ever. Studies have shown that improved mobility directly correlates with reduced healthcare costs, enhanced productivity, and increased individual independence. However, to achieve these outcomes, we need advanced tools and technologies that can measure, analyze, and interpret movement data accurately.

Motion Analysis Corporation: A Catalyst for Innovation in Motion Science

Motion Analysis Corporation has been a pioneering force in the field of motion capture technology for decades. By providing state-of-the-art tools to researchers, healthcare providers, and industry leaders, we’ve helped transform how we study and optimize human movement.

Movement Science for the Future

The potential applications of motion science are vast and growing. Innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics, and wearable technology are converging with motion analysis to redefine how we live, work, and heal. For instance, our technology is being used to develop cutting-edge prosthetics that mimic natural movement and to design exoskeletons that assist individuals with mobility impairments.

Moreover, motion analysis plays a critical role in preventive healthcare. By identifying early signs of movement disorders, healthcare providers can intervene sooner, reducing the risk of chronic conditions and enhancing long-term health outcomes.

A Healthier Society Through Movement

At its core, thriving through movement is about more than just individual health—it’s about building a society that values and supports physical well-being. Whether through groundbreaking research, innovative therapies, or enabling athletes to achieve their full potential, MAC is dedicated to advancing this vision.

As we continue to explore the science of movement, the work being done by Motion Analysis Corporation will remain vital. By fostering a deeper understanding of motion, we’re not only contributing to the future of healthcare and performance but also to a world where everyone can thrive through movement.

Ready to advance your understanding of movement?
Explore how Motion Analysis Corporation’s cutting-edge technology can empower your research, practice, or innovation today. Reach out to us for a demo or consultation. Together, let’s drive the future of movement.

The History of Motion Analysis Corporation and 3DAHM: A Legacy of Innovation and Collaboration

The field of biomechanics is driven by the pursuit of deeper understanding and innovative technologies that connect science with real-world applications in rehabilitation, sports medicine, and beyond. A key platform advancing this mission is the 3D Analysis of Human Movement (3DAHM) symposium, organized every two years by the technical group of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB). For over three decades, 3DAHM has been at the forefront of biomechanics research, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and practitioners. Motion Analysis Corporation has been a crucial partner throughout this journey, playing a pivotal role in supporting the symposium and advancing motion capture technologies.

Origins of 3DAHM and Motion Analysis’ Role

3DAHM was established as a technical group under the ISB with the goal of furthering technical knowledge in human movement analysis, providing a space for scientists, researchers, and industry leaders to come together. One of the key figures in its inception was Tom Whitaker, founder of Motion Analysis, who served on the first executive board of the group. Whitaker’s involvement symbolized the close relationship between cutting-edge industry innovation and academic research. Since that early beginning, Motion Analysis has consistently provided industry representation on the 3DAHM executive board, ensuring the intersection of scientific research with practical technological advancements.

One of the long-standing contributors to 3DAHM is Georgios Stylianides, a longtime board member and dedicated user of Motion Analysis systems. His recent purchase of a new system at Juniata College reaffirms the strong and continued partnership between Motion Analysis and the global biomechanics community.

Motion Analysis and 3DAHM: A Partnership in Biomechanics

Motion Analysis has supported the goals of 3DAHM for more than three decades, with involvement that extends beyond the executive board. The company has long been committed to advancing the technologies that empower biomechanics research. Their motion capture systems have transformed the way researchers capture and analyze human movement, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in healthcare, sports science, and rehabilitation.

At the 2024 3DAHM Symposium in Montevideo, Motion Analysis will not only continue its legacy of sponsorship and involvement but will also contribute to the hands-on education of participants. As part of the pre-conference course, our very own Emily McHugh (Director of Product Development and Customer Support) will lead a comprehensive training session on the Thunderbird marker-based optical motion capture system. Attendees will gain practical knowledge of camera hardware components, calibration, data collection, and kinematic measurements using Cortex software. This course will offer an invaluable opportunity for researchers and practitioners alike to deepen their understanding of motion capture technology in biomechanics.

The 2024 3DAHM Symposium: A Global Gathering of Minds

The 2024 edition of the 3DAHM symposium marks a special milestone as it will be hosted in Latin America for the first time, in Montevideo, Uruguay. This global event invites researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders from around the world to engage in meaningful face-to-face discussions. In a post-pandemic world, the return to in-person interactions is especially poignant, allowing for real-time exchange of knowledge, ideas, and advancements.

Led by the host committee from Uruguay, and featuring an international lineup of speakers, 3DAHM 2024 will explore the intersections of biomechanics, rehabilitation, and sports medicine. Beyond the academic sessions, the cultural richness of Montevideo will be celebrated, with attendees being introduced to the biomechanics of the region’s most iconic cultural expression: Tango.

As part of Motion Analysis’ ongoing commitment to advancing biomechanics research and education, the company will be donating a system to the host university in Montevideo. This system will be used throughout the pre-conference course and will continue to serve the university in the years to come, reinforcing the company’s dedication to supporting academic and research institutions globally.

Pre-Conference Course: Bridging Theory and Practice

One of the highlights of Motion Analysis’ participation in 3DAHM 2024 is Emily’s pre-conference course on motion capture. This intensive, hands-on training session is designed to provide participants with a solid foundation in motion capture technology, from hardware setup to data collection and processing. The course will cover everything from camera calibration and subject preparation to kinematic analysis and data export using Motion Analysis’ Cortex software.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to test their newfound knowledge by taking a certification exam at the end of the course. Those who pass will leave the event not only with a deeper understanding of motion capture systems but also with a certificate of completion, adding a tangible recognition of their expertise in this critical area of biomechanics research.

The Power of Partnership between Industry and Academia

The collaboration between 3DAHM and Motion Analysis Corporation is a testament to the power of partnership between industry and academia. From Tom Whitaker’s role on the first executive board to today’s ongoing support through sponsorship, educational courses, and technology donations, Motion Analysis has been a vital force in advancing biomechanics research for over 33 years.

As the 2024 symposium approaches, the excitement for what’s to come is palpable. With the event being held in Latin America for the first time, and Emily’s pre-conference course promising to provide invaluable skills and certification, the stage is set for another milestone in the advancement of biomechanics. Motion Analysis remains deeply committed to supporting the biomechanics community and advancing human movement research around the world.

From fruit flies to elephants, and everything in between. We’re celebrating 40 years of mocap!

This October, we’re celebrating our 40th birthday. Over the course of our four decade history, we’ve made a concerted effort to keep innovation at the heart of everything we do, which may explain why we’ve managed to achieve so much during this time. Using motion capture in settings that you wouldn’t expect, our software has traveled from a ballet studio to an ice rink and has even scaled the hills of Mount Doom. 

This means that we’ve had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with clients who are using our mocap software in their cutting-edge research and incredible creative projects across a wide range of industries. 

From intern to VP, Phil Hagerman shares interesting insights over a 20+ year tenure

Just ask Phil Hagerman, who started out as an intern at Motion Analysis in the late ‘90s and has spent most of his career learning, growing and excelling as part of our team. 

Today, Phil is our VP of Operations. He has worked across all aspects of the business – employed as everything from an electronics technician to a support engineer, sales and director of customer service. He has helped us to build prototypes, trained our resellers, and improved and refined our processes. Phil has played an integral role in expediting issue resolution for our customers and making sure that everyone has the information they need at their fingertips. 

Over more than 20 years, Phil has also served as a trusted advisor to the business, particularly around how we plan and develop our strategies for the future. 

Thinking ahead to stay ahead

“Recently, with the supply chain shortages, I started to monitor the individual components that go into our products,” says Phil. “I actually spent an absurd amount of time tracking the lifecycles and availability of these components to make sure that we buy the parts we need before they are unavailable.”

We’ve also seen the industry change dramatically over the years. When you think about the fact that things like the iPhone or Google didn’t exist 40 years ago – technologies that have become staples in our everyday lives – you realize just how much progress has been made in recent years. 

A six-camera Motion Analysis VP320 system photographed in the late 80’s

At Motion Analysis, we’re proud to say that we’ve been able to translate this progress into success, not only for our business but also for our customers. From analyzing the movement of dancers, and developing an improved basketball shoe to rehabilitating wounded soldiers, we’ve done a lot.

Pre-realtime labeling: The six-camera Motion Analysis VP320 system Using Motion Analysis’s ExpertVision (EV) software to record and track a gymnast in the late 80’s

Navigating the peaks and valleys 

It’s been great to see the business adapt and thrive through various peaks and valleys, adds Phil. “I was there after 9/11 when some people were moved to part time roles because we just didn’t have enough orders coming in.” 

And on the converse, we had one December where we had to revamp our manufacturing system just to get out all the systems that had been ordered, he continues. “Watching the business go through periods where we’ve struggled and then excelled, I can see how we’ve used periods of downtime to look at how we can make things better.” 

Celebrating the weird and wonderful

For Phil, there isn’t only one standout experience or highlight because, “Motion Analysis has great relationships with all of our customers and we love all the motion capture projects we get to work on.”

“Some of the projects we’ve worked on over the years are just mind blowing. We’ve done motion capture projects where we’ve tracked something as small as a fruit fly to something as large as an elephant. It’s really interesting to see how things move. Yes, this is enabled by innovation in motion capture and the flexibility of our systems, but it’s also about our clients’ creativity.”

Speeding up processes with the introduction of custom designed VPAT cards to record the camera data to memory: The MIDAS based system running ExpertVision Advanced (EVa) in the early-mid 90’s

Acknowledging that customer needs have changed a lot over the years, Phil notes that Motion Analysis has consistently updated its mocap hardware and software to cater to these needs. For example, while we have always been known for developing high-end passive marker systems, we recently launched the BaSix camera family, which consists of three “light” camera models. BaSix was launched in an effort to make mocap more accessible and affordable for smaller studios. 

Looking to the future

Lucy Keighley, president of Motion Analysis, believes that our success comes down to all the people who make the company what it is today. “Most of our team have been working here for many years and that’s because, despite being smaller and spread across the world, our values align and that keeps us connected,” she says. “I would say that our greatest value is the relationship we have with our customers. Whether it’s our developers or sales staff, we all make an effort to get to know and to prioritize the needs of our customers above everything.” 

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the next 40 years of innovation in motion capture. 

“We want to evolve with and stay on top of new technology as it comes out. Our software is a core component that makes us stand out. And so we will continue to ensure that our software evolves with our clients’ needs, so that it can continue to be used in things like industrial design and ergonomics, animation, drone tracking, animal/human biomechanics, and so much more,” Phil says. “When you think about future applications, the possibilities are endless.”