Cortex 9 has arrived: key features and updates of our latest software

Picture having motion capture software that enables you to automate repetitive tasks and batch process a set of captures. Or using an inverse kinematic endoskeleton that is able to very closely mimic human movement with very little subject preparation.

These are just two of the functions that our newly-released, Cortex 9 motion capture software features are able to fulfill, with the goal to make your motion capture work more efficient and effective. 

Here are five of our favorite features in the latest version of Cortex:

1. Activate Dark Mode

Who said mocap software has to be boring? This is a fun feature which allows you to take the traditional Cortex color scheme to a new, modern level, through the “Dark Mode” feature.

The process is simple: navigate to Tools>Colors and select the Dark Mode checkbox at the bottom of the window.

2. Take the “work” out of your Workflow 

The Workflows panel in our Cortex 9 motion capture software provides a swift means of automating repetitive tasks and can be set up to include any number of functions in Live Mode or Post Process mode: from setting up for a Live collection to batch processing captures. 

The workflow can be saved and applied during different capture sessions, by different users to maintain a consistent protocol. 

How to create a workflow? 

• Assign a name to the procedure at the top of the panel.
• Choose a category and a task then select the green “+” to add it to your workflow. 
• Add several tasks to the workflow in the order you need them to be performed or reorder using the blue arrows. 
• To batch process a set of captures in your working directory, choose “Apply to All Captures”. 
• When you’re ready to run, press the blue play button at the top of the pane. As a function is executing, a buffering circle will appear to the left of the function. Cortex will notify you when all tasks are complete.

3. Two skeletons are better than one

We’ve already raved about the Ikendo skeleton in a previous post, so it should be no surprise that it would be one of the features of our Cortex 9 motion capture software. This skeletal modeling option consists of a scalable humanoid rig that can be driven by six Active Marker Rigs (AMRs) each with six degrees of freedom. Given the AMR prop information, intermediate segments, and joint constraints, Ikendo is able to very closely mimic human movement with very little work on your part. 

While we provide generic examples to get you started, the Calcium retargeting option provides a way to use Ikendo with any character you wish. 

4. Fill in the gaps with 6D Prop Join

This post-processing tool interpolates the position and orientation of a prop, which eliminates the need to fill marker data to calculate a prop skeleton. The function can be applied over a selected frame range for a selected prop or all props.

5. Turn up the heat (map)

A coverage “heat map” has been added to the Camera Coverage viewing option in the 3D Display Properties. Regions with greater overlap in camera coverage are shaded green, with less covered areas changing from yellow to orange to red.

And there’s more where those came from…

Okay, so we’ve impressed you with just a few of our favorite additions to our Cortex motion capture software, but we’ve also implemented some key updates to features like the “Live Mode Dashboard” and  “Devices Panel”, and made the following additions and updates: 

• Tobii Glasses can now be used in a wireless setup with Cortex.
• A timer and progress bar has been added to the calibration wizard to provide feedback during dynamic wand collection.
• When Creating Links, we’ve enabled the option to select and delete links previously added.
• Cortex functions have been added to the autocomplete repository in sky. To activate the autocomplete function in your sky script, start with a space or period. This opens the menu of functions. Begin typing the function you need to use and the autocomplete list narrows. The up and down arrow or your mouse allow you to pick and autofill the function of your choosing.
• The option to clear contents and open the sky interface via the Sky Feedback Data View through a right-click menu has been added.
• Cortex 9 will connect to camera types that feature full grayscale, such as the Raptor and Kestrel ranges. Users of earlier models – Eagle, Hawk, Owl, Osprey, etc. – can collect compatible data with Cortex 8 and use Cortex 9’s new tools for analysis. There will be 8.n updates for sites, using these cameras, with service contracts.

Want to experience all the great features and updates of Cortex 9?

Our latest and greatest Cortex 9 motion capture software is available for download or on a Cortex 9 DVD delivered via express mail (upon request). 

There is a Cortex 32-bit version and a Cortex 64-bit version available. They are both included in this release and available to all customers under warranty or with a current software maintenance contract.

If you’re interested in changing to Cortex, we’d love to give you a demo of our software.