TenCate Grass is pushing the boundaries of what an artificial pitch can be, using Xsens motion capture to turn every step, cut, and sprint into actionable insight. By grounding their turf innovation in real athlete data, TenCate is creating sustainable next-generation surfaces that feel like natural grass.
Challenge:
TenCate needs to create a new, sustainable way to manufacture artificial turf – and it needs to perform just as well as the real thing.
Solution:
Using Xsens, the TenCate research team can test athletes on different surfaces, validating the new turf material.
Key takeaways:
- From lab to pitch: Tencate tested artificial turf in various locations and conditions.
- Combining camera and mocap: Recording athletes with cameras allows for analysis of one part of the body. Xsens supports this with the full context, demonstrating how each surface affects performance.
- Visual indicator of performance: Showing motion capture data from two surfaces, side by side, helps researchers determine which material to prioritize.
TenCate Grass is the world’s leading producer of artificial turf, supplying surfaces for professional sport, community clubs, and municipalities worldwide. Beyond manufacturing, the company invests heavily in R&D at its Center for Turf Innovation in the Netherlands, where its mission is to create turf that feels and performs as close to natural grass as possible.
With over 3000 square meters indoor lab – plus access to full-size natural grass and artificial pitches – TenCate works closely with professional athletes and clubs such as PSV Eindhoven to define what makes the perfect grass for each sport, team, and environment. But simply observing players wasn’t enough. To truly understand how surfaces influence performance, TenCate turned to Movella’s Xsens motion capture technology.
“We wanted a system that could tell us exactly how athletes move on different surfaces,” says Tom Wills, Manager of the Center for Turf Innovation at TenCate Grass. “Xsens gives us biomechanical data we can’t capture with cameras alone – things like stride length, joint angles, and acceleration patterns.”
Sustainable alternatives
Traditionally, artificial turf relies on recycled rubber tyre crumb as infill. However, with the EU’s upcoming 2031 ban on microplastics, that material is being phased out. Which, for TenCate, is something of an opportunity.
The R&D team is now testing alternatives – including wood chips, cork, and olive stones – as well as developing non-infill turf systems. And to validate these new designs, biomechanics is essential. By capturing data directly from athletes on the pitch, TenCate can compare movements on new prototypes versus natural grass.
“People adapt their movement patterns depending on the surface,” explains Tom. “With Xsens, we’ve seen that our non-infill systems are beginning to replicate natural grass performance, which is exactly where we want to be.”
Testing in real environments
Unlike camera-based systems that are limited to the lab or small test zones, Xsens’ portable IMU-based system allows TenCate to run studies on real fields, under real playing conditions.
At their innovation center and at partner sites such as PSV Eindhoven’s training ground, TenCate researchers observe athletes performing drills, from sprint starts to sharp 180° turns.
The Xsens system records movement seamlessly across multiple pitches, with only quick recalibration needed between surfaces. Sessions typically last up to two hours, limited not by the equipment but by player fatigue. Data is then cross-referenced with high-speed video for detailed surface interaction insights.
“The combination of cameras and Xsens gives us the full picture,” says Tom. “We can zoom in on foot-to-surface contact with cameras, and then use Xsens to understand whole-body motion leading to that movement. It’s a level of insight we simply couldn’t get otherwise.”
Beyond the raw data, Xsens also provides powerful visualization tools. Coaches, physiotherapists, and decision-makers can view 3D avatars that compare movement patterns across different surfaces – making complex biomechanics easy to understand.
“Not everyone can interpret a graph of hip flexion angles,” Tom laughs. “But when you show them two avatars side by side – one running on natural grass, one on an alternative turf – it clicks. People understand. That visual impact is hugely valuable.”
Long-term innovation
TenCate has been using Xsens since 2021, and the technology has become central to its product development cycle. From early-stage lab tests to large-scale field trials, motion capture data ensures every innovation is backed by hard evidence.
For athletes, the system is comfortable and, crucially, not an obstruction once play begins. For researchers, it delivers reliable, repeatable data. And for the wider sports industry, it means safer, higher-performing, and more sustainable pitches.
“Xsens has given us the ability to move beyond opinion and perception, and into measurable, repeatable performance data,” concludes Tom. “That’s critical as we redefine what artificial turf can be.”
Take a look at Xsens motion capture products.
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