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A woman and a man wearing black athletic outfits stand between two robotic mannequins. The mannequins have a sleek design and are also dressed in similar athletic attire, with a futuristic appearance.

Xsens Rebuilds Its Link Mocap Suit With 4D Stretch

13.11.2025
Xsens reinvents its Link suit: 4D stretch fabric, Wi-Fi 6E, one-click sensors, and fewer cables. mocap setups just got a lot less sweaty, or at least easier to keep (reasonably) clean.

Xsens has released the next-generation version of its Xsens Link motion capture system. The redesign focuses on physical comfort, data precision, and setup efficiency. The new suit uses a 4D stretch eSuit built from a lightweight, breathable fabric with integrated, washable cabling. Xsens claims the MoCap setup time is cut by half compared to the previous generation, thanks to embedded wiring and one-click sensors.

Smarter Sensors, Smoother Data

The system’s 17 inertial sensors have been upgraded for cleaner motion data with fewer artefacts. Combined with Wi-Fi 6E, the Link can stream motion capture at up to 240 Hz within a 150-metre range, supporting stable, low-latency links to Xsens Animate and third-party software such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Blender, Maya, Houdini, and Faceware.

A close-up of a person wearing a black motion capture suit with orange accents. The individual is adjusting a glove that is part of the suit, showcasing the technology used for motion tracking.

The suit is built for production : washable textiles, simplified cabling, and consistent sensor alignment even during complex movement. It’s designed to withstand location work, whether on a volume stage or on a mountain (Well, maybe not EVERY mountain)

Hot-Swap and Go

Each suit is powered by an internal battery plus an optional external pack, offering 4 to 8 hours of operation with hot-swappable capability for uninterrupted shooting. The hub (the system’s processing and communication unit) can be mounted anywhere on the suit, offering flexibility in setup and movement.

A man in a black athletic outfit is in a dynamic pose, reaching out toward a humanoid robot figure dressed in gray and orange. The background is plain white, emphasizing their movement and interaction.

Pipeline Integration

The hardware is fully integrated with Xsens Animate, which processes live capture data and retargets it for animation or previs. Together, the suit and software form a complete inertial motion capture pipeline, bridging live performance and production-ready motion data. The new Xsens Link (Next-Generation) is available now, with pricing provided on request. Full specifications are available on Movella’s official product page.

Test Before You Shoot

As with all new mocap hardware, professionals are advised to test the suit under real production conditions before committing to a pipeline update, particularly regarding sensor consistency and latency over extended Wi-Fi sessions.

Bela Beier Author