PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

For the scientific observation of non-verbal communication behavior, video recordings are the state of the art. However, everyone who has conducted at least one video-based study has probably made the experience, that it is difficult to get the setup right, with respect to image resolution, illumination, perspective, occlusions, etc. And even more effort is needed for the annotation of the data. Frequently, even short interaction sequences may consume weeks or even months of rigorous full-time annotations. One way to overcome some of these issues is the use of motion capturing for assessing (not only) communicative body movements. There are several competing tracking technologies available, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. The article provides an overview of the basic types of tracking systems, presents representation formats and tools for the analysis of motion data, provides pointers to some studies using motion capture and discusses best practices for study design. However, the article also stresses that motion capturing still requires some expertise and is only starting to become mobile and reasonably priced – arguments not to be neglected.