Brekel Body / v1
Brekel Body v1
Markerless body motion capture with the original Kinect v1 sensor
Brekel Body v1 is a Windows application for real-time markerless body motion capture with the original Microsoft Kinect sensor (Kinect for Xbox 360 or Kinect for Windows v1). It tracks up to 2 people, no suits or markers needed, and records the result as skeleton animation or streams it live into other applications.
Own a Kinect v1, or found one cheap second-hand? This is the least expensive way to capture with it. The sensor is from 2010 and long out of production, but it still works, and so does this app on Windows 10/11. No new features are planned here: Brekel Body v3 is where development continues, and it supports the v1 sensor too.
You need the sensor including its power supply, plus a 64-bit Windows PC with an Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU and 4 GB of RAM. Nothing exotic: that was a modest machine in 2012. One sensor at a time, and both the Xbox 360 and the Kinect for Windows unit work.
Installs like any other app. No subscription, no cloud processing, no login. All data stays on your machine.
Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) · from $49 (excl tax)
Tracking
The app uses the official Microsoft Kinect drivers/SDK (the installer downloads and installs these for you). Tracking runs in real time, no offline processing, with quick person recognition and support for hand, foot and head rotations. It uses one sensor at a time and can track up to 2 people in view.
Recording and streaming
Recordings go straight to disk in FBX, BVH and TXT formats. A Maya MEL example script for importing the TXT format is included, and there are example files so you can check whether the data suits your project before buying.
For live streaming the app comes with plugins for Autodesk MotionBuilder (2009 through 2026), an example C# script for Unity (adjust it for your own rig) and an example scene for Unreal Engine 4.x and 5.x. Joint data can also be streamed over OSC (Open Sound Control) to other apps, including Synapse and OSCeleton emulation modes for apps like Kinectar.
Licensing
The free trial is the full application with two limits: recordings stop at 10 seconds, and live streaming into other apps (MotionBuilder or Unity for example) is disabled. Everything else works, so you can check tracking quality and export formats on your own machine before buying.
A license is perpetual: it never expires and you can always run and install the application. All updates within the v1 branch are free, there are no maintenance plans for this app. The download link arrives by email right after purchase; the license itself is delivered manually by email, usually within 24 hours or less. How trials, evaluations and licenses work in general: see licensing.
Supported sensors
- Kinect for Xbox 360 / Kinect for Windows v1 (one sensor at a time, and it needs its power supply, not just the USB cable)
Full specs for these, and 91 sensors in all: depth sensor comparison.
Exports
- Recording: FBX, BVH, TXT
Requirements
- Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
- Kinect for Xbox 360 or Kinect for Windows v1 sensor, including its power supply
- Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU
- 4 GB RAM
- Dedicated USB 2.0 bus for the sensor
- Graphics card with OpenGL support
Compare versions
| Body v3 latest | Body v2 | Body v1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported sensors | Azure Kinect, Kinect v1/v2, Orbbec, ZED, RealSense, webcams | Kinect v2 (Xbox One / Kinect for Windows v2) | Kinect v1 (Xbox 360 / Kinect for Windows) |
| Multiple sensors (alignment + fusion) | yes | no | no |
| Deep-learning tracker | yes | no | no |
| Face tracking | yes | no | no |
| Live streaming | MotionBuilder, Unity, Unreal Live Link, TCP/UDP, OSC | MotionBuilder, Unity, Unreal Live Link, TCP/UDP, OSC | MotionBuilder, Unity, Unreal, OSC |
| Recording formats | FBX, BVH, TXT, CSV, BPC, WAV | FBX, BVH, TXT, CSV, WAV | FBX, BVH, TXT |
| Still updated | yes | no | no |
| Price (excl tax) | $149 Single Sensor $299 Multi Sensor | $99 | $49 |
scroll sideways for every version, the labels stay put
Trial / Buy
Free trial
Trial restrictions Limited to 10 seconds of recording, no live streaming into other apps (MotionBuilder/Unity for example).
The documentation PDF ships inside the installer, and is also a separate download (zip).
Buy a license
- License $49 Shop
prices excl tax · perpetual license · free v1 updates
How licensing works (trials, evaluation licenses, delivery).