EqualMotion: Accessible Motion Capture for the Creative Industries

TL;DR

EqualMotion presents an inclusive, body-agnostic wearable motion capture system designed through co-design with disabled users, enabling personalized calibration and supporting diverse movement styles for creative industries.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, accessible motion capture system that addresses normative biases by integrating disability-centred design and collaborative development.

Findings

Supports diverse body types and movement styles

Enables personalized calibration for users

Fosters equitable participation in creative workflows

Abstract

Motion capture technologies are increasingly used in creative and performance contexts but often exclude disabled practitioners due to normative assumptions in body modeling, calibration, and avatar representation. EqualMotion introduces a body-agnostic, wearable motion capture system designed through a disability-centred co-design approach. By enabling personalised calibration, integrating mobility aids, and adopting an inclusive visual language, EqualMotion supports diverse body types and movement styles. The system is developed collaboratively with disabled researchers and creatives, aiming to foster equitable participation in digital performance and prototyping. This paper outlines the system's design principles and highlights ongoing case studies in dance and music to evaluate accessibility in real-world creative workflows.