Xsens

Xsens Technologies B.V. (or Xsens) is a supplier of 3D motion capture products, wearable sensors and inertial sensors based upon miniature MEMS inertial sensor technology.

Xsens (Xsens Technologies B.V.)

Industry	motion capture, wearable sensors, IMU, AHRS, INS
Founded	2000
Headquarters	Enschede , Netherlands
Number of locations	5
Products	MTi, MTw Awinda, MVN Animate, MVN Analyze, Xsens DOT
Number of employees	140
Website	www.movella.com

The company has created intellectual property in the field of multi-sensor data fusion algorithms, combining inertial sensors with aiding technologies such as GPS, Motion capture and biomechanical modeling. Xsens is part of Movella, a new company formed by combining mCube, Xsens, and Kinduct.^[1] Movella provides devices for sensing, capturing, and analyzing motion and states of being.

Xsens has offices in Enschede (headquarter, Netherlands), Los Angeles, Bangalore, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

History

The company was founded in 2000 by Casper Peeters and Per Slycke, both University of Twente graduates. Following work in measurement of the performance of athletes, they specialized in sensor technologies and sensor fusion algorithms. The company developed Inertial measurement units or AHRS (MTi-series and MTx) and human movement measurement systems (a completely wireless system MTw Awinda, the successor of the Xbus Kit).

In 2007 Xsens introduced an inertial motion capture system called "Moven" (renamed to Xsens MVN^[2] in 2009).

In 2008, Xsens acquired Utellus, a spin-off from telecom company Ericsson's EuroLab, specializing in applications of ultra wide band RF technology.^[3]

In 2009 Xsens introduced the MVN BIOMECH system, a motion capture system for 3D human kinematics used in fields such as ergonomics, sports science and rehabilitation.

In 2014 Xsens was acquired by Fairchild Semiconductor,^[4] and became part of ON Semiconductor in 2016.

In 2015 Xsens introduced a new inertial sensor module by the name of the MTi 1-series^[5] and in 2019, the latest series of inertial sensor modules was introduced, called the MTi 600-series.^[6]

In 2017 both Xsens MVN and MVN BIOMECH were renamed to Xsens MVN Animate and Xsens MVN Analyze. In Nov 2017, mCube acquired Xsens from ON Semiconductor.^[7]

In January 2020 Xsens launched Xsens DOT^[8] development platform for the analysis and reporting of human kinematics.

In September 2021 mCube announced it is rebranding as Movella. Movella products serve four primary markets: entertainment, sports, health, and industrial. The new brand encapsulates the value and technologies from mCube, Xsens, and Kinduct.^[9]

Products

Xsens product range from inertial sensors to inertial Motion Capture.

• MTi 1-serie^[10]
• MTi-7^[11]
• MTi 10-series^[12]
• MTi 600-series^[13]
• MTi 100-series^[14]
• MTi-G-710^[15]
• MTw Awinda^[16]
• Xsens MVN Analyze^[17]
• Xsens MVN Animate^[18]
• Xsens DOT ^[19]

Software

Xsens develops proprietary software for their own inertial sensors and motion capture products.

• MT Software Suite^[20] for all MTi sensors
• MT Software Suite for MTw Awinda^[21]
• MVN Animate^[22] motion capture software for 3D Character Animation
• MVN Analyze^[23] motion capture software for Human Motion Measurement

Inertial sensor applications

Typically Xsens inertial sensor technology is used for orientation, attitude- and positioning data. The technology is integrated by fleet operators, robotics integrators, digital mapping companies, drone developers, Vehicle-testing, Autonomous Vehicles, Warehouse & Logistics (AGV/AMR), Maritime/offshore (ROVs/AUVs/USVs/floating platforms), Aerospace, Heavy-Industry (harbor/construction/mining) and Agriculture (UGVs/robots).

Projects

Xsens participates in research projects^[24] like AnDy,^[25] a project funded by the European Union within the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme endowing robots with the ability to control physical collaboration through intentional interaction.

Xsens also participates in AWESCO,^[26] a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Initial Training Network funded by the European Union within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and by the Swiss federal government. The project aims to address the key challenges of airborne wind energy technologies with the aim of supporting the commercialization in Europe.

Since 2014, Xsens is a full partner of KNEEMO Initial Training Network (ITN) ^[27] for knee osteoarthritis research funded through the European Commission’s Framework 7 Programme. As an industrial partner, its role is to develop methods to estimate knee joint loading using inertial motion capture.

Other projects are MC Impulse,^[28] focusing on sensor data processing and MILEPOST, on indoor navigation.

Productions

Xsens products are widely known for use in film, game, live entertainment and advertising. Known productions that were created with the help of Xsens products are:

• The Umbrella Academy ^[29]
• The Mandalorian ^[30]
• Stranger Things 3 ^[31]
• WestWorld season 3 ^[32]
• Avengers: Infinity war ^[33]
• Black Panther ^[34]
• Thor: Ragnarok ^[35]
• Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice ^[36]
• Ant-Man ^[37]
• FIFA 16 ^[38]
• Love Has No Labels ^[39]
• Ted 1 and 2 ^[40]
• Just Cause 3 ^[41]

References

1. mCube Rebrands as Movella
2. Article about Xsens MVN inertial motion capture
3. Xsens Acquires UWB Technology Company Utellus
4. "Xsens acquisition by Fairchild Semiconductor marks important step for motion tracking success story - Xsens 3D motion tracking". Xsens 3D motion tracking. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
5. MTi 1-series introduction by Xsens
6. MTi 600-series introduction by Xsens
7. "mCube buys Xsens for system-level expertise". eeNews Europe. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
8. "Xsens introduces Xsens DOT, a new wearable sensor development platform".
9. "Xsens and Kinduct parent company mCube rebrands as Movella". i-MicroNews. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
10. Xsens. "MTi 1-series". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
11. Xsens. "MTi 1-series". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
12. Xsens. "MTi 10-series". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
13. Xsens. "MTi 600-series". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
14. Xsens. "MTi 100-series". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
15. Xsens. "Product overview". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
16. MTw Awinda
17. Xsens. "MVN Analyze". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
18. Xsens. "MVN Animate". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
19. Xsens. "Xsens DOT". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
20. MT Software Suite
21. MT Software Suite for MTw Awinda
22. MVN Animate
23. MVN Analyze
24. Xsens collaboration projects
25. AnDy (Advancing Anticipatory Behaviors in Dyadic Human-Robot Collaboration)
26. AWESCO (Airborne Wind Energy System Modelling, Control and Optimization)
27. KNEEMO Initial Training Network Website
28. MC Impulse
29. "Watch the Umbrella Academy | Netflix Official Site". Netflix.
30. "The Mandalorian's CG universe".
31. "Watch Stranger Things | Netflix Official Site". Netflix.
32. "A tale of 3 robots". 16 June 2020.
33. "AVENGERS - INFINITY WAR: Graham Page - VFX Supervisor - DNEG - The Art of VFXThe Art of VFX". www.artofvfx.com. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
34. "Marvel's Black Panther pounces on to the big screen with Xsens - News - Xsens 3D motion tracking". Xsens 3D motion tracking. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
35. "'Thor: Ragnarok's' Sakaar chase scene was also a courtship dance". vfxblog. 2017-11-10. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
36. Batman vs. Superman
37. Ant-Man
38. FIFA 16
39. Love Has No Labels
40. "Xsens' MVN Helps Push Ted 2 VFX to New Heights". www.xsens.com. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
41. "Develop Issue 161 June 2015". Issuu. Retrieved 2020-07-23.