Texas A&M is looking to push new boundaries of autonomous vehicle development with the introduction of a new state-of-the-art motion capture StarLab studio.
At the university’s 2,000-acre RELLIS Campus, the new lab will help shape the future of aerial and ground autonomous vehicles with a large indoor facility employing motion capture and animation technologies.
StarLab will feature more than 40 high-speed motion capture cameras, a capture volume of 40 x 40ft, and a holodeck-like environment for the testing and development of new methods and technologies.
“We have the ability to merge motion capture and tracking with virtual reality and augmented reality environments,” said Dr James Hubbard, TEES eminent professor in the J Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering.
“Merging motion capture with augmented reality and virtual reality, and seamlessly including real-time data from platforms operating on the RELLIS Campus, opens a whole new world of possibilities for the development of autonomous systems, ground and airborne.”
Among the projects Hubbard will be working on are an autonomous shuttle service for handicapped individuals and the development of a smart seat for autonomous vehicles capable of monitoring the condition of its riders.