Resources | Movella

The perfect VTuber setup: Powered by Xsens

Written by Movella | May 7, 2025 9:02:10 PM

The perfect VTuber setup: Powered by Xsens

Welcome to the world of VTubing, where performance, personality, and cutting-edge tech come together to bring digital characters to life. If you’re an experienced streamer or just starting your journey, creating a professional-grade VTuber setup can be a game-changer. And when it comes to motion capture, Xsens Animate by Xsens stands in a league of its own.

 

Why Xsens Animate?

Let’s start with the heart of the system. Xsens Animate is unmatched in ease of use, hardware reliability, and data quality. If you’re performing live or recording cinematic sequences, Xsens delivers production-quality mocap that professional VTubers trust.

Take a bow, Xsens Animate—the professional’s choice for real-time virtual performance.

 

1. Your VTuber avatar: The digital star

Before the show begins, you need an avatar that reflects your brand and personality. But building a full-body 3D avatar that moves naturally isn’t as simple as dragging and dropping a file. Your model needs to be properly rigged to move in a lifelike way.

Where to get started: 

 

2. 3D animation software: Bringing your avatar to life

To animate your avatar in real time, you’ll need a powerful 3D animation engine. Fortunately, Xsens mocap data integrates seamlessly into all major platforms.

Popular Choices:
  • Unreal Engine 
  • Unity
  • iClone

You can check out the Xsens live plug-ins and integrations here

 

3. The full-body mocap system: Xsens in action

At the core of the system is the Xsens Link suit or the Awinda Starter system. Both connect directly to Xsens Animate software for live streaming and instant feedback, enabling responsive and expressive virtual performances.

Setups for Every Level:
  • Xsens Link: Pro-grade mocap suit for top-tier performance
  • Xsens Awinda + Xsens Animate: A cost-effective combo ideal for live streaming VTubers
4. Face tracking: Express every emotion

Your audience connects with your facial expressions, so facial mocap is key. An iPhone with face tracking software (such as Live Link Face) mounted to a head rig can capture detailed expressions.

Options to Explore:•

 

5. Finger tracking: The final touch

Gestures add depth and realism to your VTuber performance. Xsens Metagloves by Manus and StretchSense gloves integrate directly into Xsens Animate and stream live into your animation engine of choice.

 

Inspiration: CodeMiko’s VTuber setup

One of the most well-known VTubers, CodeMiko, showcases a full-body mocap system powered by Xsens. Her content pushes the boundaries of live performance and virtual identity, and she’s shared many insights into her setup on.

🎥 Don’t miss our collaborative event with CodeMiko, "How to Become a VTuber". Check it out at the bottom of this page.

 

Xsens Animate

Creating a professional VTuber setup requires more than just good hardware; it’s about choosing the right tools that offer seamless integration, reliable performance, and expressive motion. Xsens provides all of that, and more.

With Xsens Animate at the core, you’re not just capturing motion, you’re delivering performances that connect.

 

Learn more about how Xsens Animate can be the centerpiece of your VTube set-up.