23rd October 2025
How Xsens is shaping the future of animation, visual effects, and storytelling for students.
At Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute, students are learning how to bring digital characters to life through motion. Led by Professor of Practice James Martin, GSU has integrated Xsens inertial motion capture technology into its curriculum to prepare students for the evolving world of real-time animation, VFX, and virtual production.
Challenge
GSU needed to replicate the workflows used in high-end productions and make them accessible to students.
Solution
Xsens Link suits were flexible, comfortable, and able to capture high-quality data without the need for a dedicated studio space. The inertial system enables students to perform anywhere – on campus, outdoors, or in mobile setups – removing the limitations of traditional optical mocap systems.
Key takeaways
- Fast, flexible learning: Xsens suits require minimal setup and calibration, making it easy for students to jump straight into performance capture.
- Inclusive and adaptable: The system accommodates different body types and performance styles, supporting diverse creative projects across disciplines.
- Real-world workflows: Students gain exposure to networking, data processing, and mobile mocap setups, mirroring the workflows used in major production studios.
- Collaborative storytelling: The technology empowers cross-departmental collaboration between animators, filmmakers, and game designers, all within a shared creative pipeline.
Motion capture session at GSU
Building skills for the future
Beyond technical expertise, GSU’s program emphasizes critical thinking and storytelling. Students learn how movement informs character development and how performance data connects to narrative intent.
“Once they’re suited up, students see their own performances mirrored in real time,” says James. “That instant feedback changes how they understand motion. It’s both a technical lesson and an artistic revelation.”
As GSU integrates AI and advanced rendering workflows into its curriculum, Xsens technology continues to play a key role. Motion data is being combined with AI tools like ControlNet to explore new frontiers in animation and visual storytelling.
Motion capture set at the studio of GSU
A platform for opportunity
For many students, motion capture serves as a gateway to industry careers. Graduates have gone on to roles in animation, technical direction, and performance capture for games and film. James is also the founder of Actor Capture – a specialist mocap studio – and through this relationship, students gain direct exposure to professional projects and the confidence to operate independently.
“Our mission is to make motion capture accessible, collaborative, and creatively liberating,” says James. “With Xsens, our students are learning, and they’re producing work that meets professional standards. That experience gives them an incredible advantage when they step into the industry.”
GSU mocap coordinator putting students in the Xsens Link suit
GSU’s future plans
Georgia State University plans to expand its Xsens footprint across more courses in fine arts, animation, and media production, ensuring that every student has access to cutting-edge motion capture tools.
By uniting technology, artistry, and education, CMII is creating a generation of storytellers ready to push the boundaries of what’s possible in digital performance.
Discover how Xsens is transforming motion capture in education and empowering creators of tomorrow.
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