Body v1 FAQ

Brekel Body v1 is a Windows application that enables 3D animators to do real-time markerless body motion capture of up to 2 people, from a living room or office, using a Microsoft Kinect v1 sensor.

Yes. The app was originally released under the name Brekel Kinect Pro Body and was later renamed to Brekel Body v1. The installer files and download folder still carry the old name.

It’s not a high-end motion capture tool, meaning there are restrictions in the motions you can capture. It works best when facing the sensor and allowing a clear view of all your body parts.

Both the Kinect for Xbox 360 and Kinect for Windows v1 sensors are fully supported. Note that both need their power supply, not just the USB cable. The Asus Xtion and PrimeSense Carmine sensors are not supported. Specs, and how this sensor compares to newer hardware: depth sensor comparison.

Microsoft officially licensed the ‘for Xbox’ sensor for development purposes only and the ‘for Windows’ sensor for commercial and consumer use; technically the software happily works with both.

• ‘for Windows’ supports near mode, which can track between 40cm and 3m distance; regular mode tracks between 80cm and 4m (mainly interesting for face tracking)
• ‘for Windows’ adds control over the video camera’s exposure and white balance settings

The sensor dates from 2010 and has long been out of production, so it is second-hand only. It sold in enormous numbers though, so they turn up regularly on eBay and similar marketplaces, usually for very little. Make sure the power supply is included: the sensor needs it and cannot run on USB alone.

Brekel Body v1 uses the official Microsoft Kinect drivers (SDK v1.8). The installer will automatically download and install these for you, or you can get them yourself from Microsoft.

No, only a single sensor can be used at a time. You can however run the software more than once and choose which sensor each instance uses if you have several connected. There is no alignment or fusion between sensors; that is a Body v3 feature.

• Kinect for Xbox 360 or Kinect for Windows v1 sensor, including its power supply
• Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
• Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU
• 4 GB RAM
• A dedicated USB 2.0 bus for the sensor
• Graphics card with OpenGL support

The easiest way to check whether your machine and sensor work is to run the free trial.

I have experimented with this, but a single Kinect v1 does not provide enough data to do it well. The limited resolution does not give the face tracker good results at a typical body tracking distance, and with only a single viewpoint you would have to keep looking at the sensor, which severely limits the range of motion you could perform.

Video output depends on which video codecs are installed on your machine. When the ‘Ask for codec’ option is disabled the XVID codec is used automatically if available. If you’re having codec trouble I can recommend the K-Lite codec pack and/or Xvid. Remember to install the 64-bit version of the codec, matching the application.

No, development has moved on to newer versions of the Body apps and no new v1 features are planned. The latest version is v1.78, existing licenses keep working, and the app remains available for people with Kinect v1 hardware. The current version of the app family is Body v3.