Postgraduate Diploma in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics. 8 modules covering ISO 7250-1 (basic measurements of the human body), ISO/IEC 19774-1 (H-Anim humanoid animation) and Vicon Nexus. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics — studying from New Zealand
Health engineering in New Zealand covers medical devices, biomechanics, rehabilitation technology and occupational safety, with significant activity in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Medsafe regulator within the Ministry of Health oversees medical device approval, and the Accident Compensation Corporation plays a central role in workplace injury prevention and safety. Biomechanics research is supported by university groups and by the country's strong sports science community.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Will this qualification be recognised by Engineering New Zealand in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers here and runs the Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) pathway. SEIUM's qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body. Recognition for any purpose is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before relying on it for registration.
Would a biomechanics or wearables background help me find work in New Zealand?
Interest in wearables and workplace safety exists across New Zealand's health technology, rehabilitation, sport science and occupational health sectors. Whether an employer values a SEIUM qualifications depends on the employer's own assessment of your skills and experience. A portfolio of applied projects is often what carries the most weight in hiring decisions.
Can I study this while working full time in New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere, including from home, and you do not need a student visa for that. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Compare optical, inertial and markerless motion capture systems.
Apply marker placement protocols and biomechanical models.
Calculate the three-dimensional kinematics of segments and joints.
Process capture data through filtering, gap filling and labelling.
Integrate advanced inertial sensors into kinematic analysis.
Analyse kinematic curves and variables statistically.
Design a complete kinematic study with its results report.
Who it's for
- Biomechanical engineer looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Movement analysis specialist looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Sports science researcher looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Gait laboratory engineer looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Motion capture technician looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Biomechanical data scientist looking to specialise in 3D Motion Capture and Advanced Kinematics.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter sports performance.
What you'll work with
- ISO 7250-1 (basic measurements of the human body)
- ISO/IEC 19774-1 (H-Anim humanoid animation)
- ISB recommendations on joint coordinate systems
- ISO 14155 (clinical investigation of medical devices)
- Declaration of Helsinki
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Optoelectronic marker-based systems1.2Infrared cameras and calibration1.3IMU inertial sensors1.4Video-based markerless capture1.5Electromagnetic systems1.6Precision, accuracy and latency1.7Capture volume1.8System selection1.9Laboratory set-up1.10Laboratory: calibration of an optical system
2.1Plug-in Gait model2.2CAST protocol and technical clusters2.3Oxford Foot Model2.4Anatomical and technical markers2.5Static calibration2.6Functional location of joint centres2.7SCoRE and SARA functional axes2.8Soft tissue artefact2.9Inter-rater reproducibility2.10Practice: marker placement on a subject
3.1Rotation matrices3.2Euler and Cardan angles3.3ISB rotation sequences3.4Quaternions3.5Grood and Suntay joint coordinate system3.6Helical angles3.7Spine and scapula kinematics3.8Gimbal lock and singularities3.9Derivation of velocity and acceleration3.10Workshop: calculating joint angles in Python
4.1Reconstruction and labelling4.2Gap filling4.3Butterworth and spline filtering4.4Cut-off frequency selection4.5Time normalisation4.6Event detection4.7C3D formats4.8Vicon Nexus and Visual3D tools4.9Quality control4.10Laboratory: processing a gait trial
5.1Sensor fusion with Kalman filters5.2Sensor-to-segment calibration5.3Drift and magnetic correction5.4Orientation estimation5.5Field kinematics5.6Comparison with optical systems5.7Sports applications5.8Ergonomics applications5.9Limitations and errors5.10Practice: IMU validation against optical capture
6.1Mean curves and variability6.2Statistical parametric mapping (SPM)6.3Principal component analysis6.4Gait indices GDI and GPS6.5Coordination and relative phase6.6Variability and dynamical systems6.7Group comparison6.8Effect size6.9Visualisation of results6.10Workshop: SPM analysis of knee curves
7.1Clinical gait analysis7.2Throwing biomechanics7.3Kick analysis in sport7.4Capture for animation and video games7.5Hand and finger capture7.6Facial capture7.7Robotics and teleoperation7.8Virtual reality7.9Ethics and consent7.10Case study: gait report in cerebral palsy
8.1Question and experimental design8.2System set-up8.3Marker protocol8.4Data acquisition8.5Processing8.6Kinematic analysis8.7Statistical analysis8.8Interpretation8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Vicon Nexus, Visual3D, OpenSim, MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Trials are studied using real motion analysis laboratory procedures: calibration of optoelectronic systems, recordings with inertial sensors in the field. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Compare optical, inertial and markerless motion capture systems.
Apply marker placement protocols and biomechanical models.
Calculate the three-dimensional kinematics of segments and joints.
Process capture data through filtering, gap filling and labelling.
Integrate advanced inertial sensors into kinematic analysis.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient English to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with Vicon Nexus, Visual3D, OpenSim, MATLAB. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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