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About
Qualisys delivers industry-leading motion capture technology used across research, clinical, sports, and engineering disciplines. Their product lineup centers on two flagship camera families — the high-performance Arqus series and the versatile Miqus series — alongside specialized hardware for underwater and MRI-environment capture. The Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) software provides a user-friendly interface for recording, processing, and analyzing 3D motion data, and can be extended through the Project Automation Framework for custom analysis pipelines. Beyond marker-based tracking, Qualisys offers fully markerless video-based motion capture, enabling flexible deployment without the need for reflective markers on subjects. The platform integrates seamlessly with third-party instruments including EMG sensors, eye trackers, force plates, IMUs, and instrumented treadmills, making it a comprehensive biomechanical analysis solution. Key application areas include clinical gait analysis, equine lameness detection, sports performance optimization (golf, running, cycling, baseball, cricket), animal and human biomechanics research, neuroscience inside MRI scanners, robotics and UAV flight tracking, and marine vessel structural testing. Qualisys provides global support, distributor networks, and an extensive library of scientific documentation, making it a trusted choice for laboratories, universities, clinical facilities, and engineering firms worldwide.
Key Features
- High-Precision Camera Systems: The Arqus and Miqus camera families deliver exceptional spatial accuracy for marker-based 3D motion capture, with specialized variants for underwater and MRI environments.
- Markerless Motion Capture: Video-based markerless tracking allows full-body motion analysis without attaching markers to subjects, enabling rapid and flexible data collection.
- Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) Software: User-friendly desktop software for capturing, processing, and analyzing 3D motion data, with scripting interfaces and a Project Automation Framework for custom workflows.
- Comprehensive Third-Party Integrations: Native integration with EMG sensors, eye trackers, force plates, IMUs, and instrumented treadmills provides a complete multi-modal biomechanics analysis environment.
- Cloud Reporting & Online Analytics: Online Reporting and OnTraq tools enable cloud-based storage and markerless baseline testing for teams, supporting remote collaboration and longitudinal tracking.
Use Cases
- Clinical gait analysis and rehabilitation assessment in hospital or research lab settings
- Sports performance optimization for athletes in disciplines such as golf, running, cycling, and baseball
- Robotics and UAV flight tracking for engineering validation and research
- Neuroscience research requiring motion tracking inside MRI scanners
- Marine vessel and offshore structure movement testing and validation
Pros
- 30+ Years of Proven Expertise: Qualisys has a long-standing reputation in precision motion capture, backed by an extensive scientific publication library and global customer base across research and industry.
- End-to-End Ecosystem: Hardware, software, accessories, and integrations are tightly coupled, reducing friction in lab setup and ensuring reliable, synchronized multi-sensor data capture.
- Versatile Deployment Environments: Specialized hardware supports capture in challenging conditions including underwater, outdoors (weatherproof), and inside MRI scanners, far beyond typical lab setups.
- Extensive Application Coverage: From clinical gait and neuroscience to sports performance and marine engineering, a single platform serves highly diverse use cases without requiring different vendor ecosystems.
Cons
- Enterprise-Level Cost: Qualisys systems are premium hardware investments, making them inaccessible for individual researchers or small teams without institutional funding.
- Geographic Purchase Restrictions: Online purchasing is limited to select regions (EU, Norway, Iceland, UK, US, Australia); customers elsewhere must go through distributors, adding procurement complexity.
- Steep Learning Curve: Full utilization of QTM's scripting interface, automation framework, and multi-sensor integrations requires significant technical training and domain expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Qualisys used for?
Qualisys is used for precision 3D motion capture and analysis across life sciences (clinical gait, neuroscience, equine), sports performance (golf, running, cycling), and engineering applications (robotics, UAV tracking, marine testing).
Does Qualisys support markerless motion capture?
Yes. Qualisys offers video-based markerless motion capture as an alternative to traditional marker-based systems, allowing full-body tracking without attaching reflective markers to subjects.
What software does Qualisys provide?
Qualisys provides the Qualisys Track Manager (QTM) as its primary motion capture software, along with OnTraq for markerless baseline team testing, Calqulus for pipeline-based analysis, and a Project Automation Framework for custom modules.
Can Qualisys systems integrate with other lab instruments?
Yes. Qualisys integrates with EMG sensors, eye trackers, force plates, IMUs, and instrumented treadmills, enabling synchronized multi-modal data capture in a single session.
Is Qualisys suitable for use outside a laboratory?
Yes. Qualisys offers weatherproof camera options designed for outdoor environments, as well as specialized systems for underwater capture and use inside MRI scanners.
