VICON UNVEILS WORLDS FIRST FOUR-MILLION-PIXEL REAL-TIME OPTICAL MOTION CAPTURE SYSTEMS VICON MX

Next-Generation Cameras With On-Board Processing for Highly Accurate and Productive Motion Capture in Entertainment, Engineering, Biomechanics and More

Oxford, UK (June 2, 2004) VICON, the leading developer in motion capture, today announced another breakthrough in accuracy and accelerated workflow for motion capture with VICON MX, the company's next-generation suite of real-time optical motion capture systems. Ushering in ultra-high-resolution, virtually artifact-free capture with MX40 the world's first four-million-pixel motion capture camera, VICON MX revolutionizes the quality, flexibility and ease with which motion capture data can be applied to real-time and off line applications ranging from film, television and games creation to virtual prototyping, scientific visualization and biomechanical analysis.

Key features of the new VICON MX system, engineered by VICON to empower customers to extend their capabilities and creativity, include:

• Unmatched image resolution and accuracy - The flagship VICON MX40 offers high-frame-rate, four-million-pixel capture along with on-camera VICON proprietary real time image processing, delivering the most precise motion capture technology available in the world.
  
• Real time output of ready-to-use motion information from multiple on-camera processors. Vicon MX supports a unique, distributed multi-processing architecture that allows each individual MX camera to perform independent real time processing. MX cameras are built to process real time data from hundreds of markers and to operate at speeds up to 10,000 frames per second.
  
• Superior performance, with support for, immense capture volumes and much smaller markers so that even more data can be captured with much greater detail. Simultaneous high-resolution facial, foot, hand and body capture is now truly realized with the VICON MX40.
  
• Unprecedented flexibility and scaleability, VICON MX is a flexible architecture of networked VICON MX cameras and devices that supports plug-and-play capabilities. The system supports an unlimited number of cameras including mixed camera types from the MX range, a wide choice of lenses and integrates with third-party devices. VICON MX caters for all applications and budgets.

Current configurations in the MX range are:

• VICON MX40, the most powerful MX camera based on VICON's 4-million pixel digital CMOS sensor with full-resolution capture at speeds of 166 fps;
  
• VICON MX13, enabling 1.3-million pixel capture and frame rates up to 10,000 frames per second;
  
• and the superior value VICON MX3, with 300,000 pixel capture at up to 240 frames per second full frame.

All VICON MX cameras feature multiple high-speed processors that perform real-time proprietary image processing to deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy and performance.

"During its twenty-four years at the vanguard of the motion capture industry, VICON has introduced over twenty ground-breaking cameras. Every increment of camera performance has been larger than the one before and the MX family is no exception. The cameras' supreme specifications speak for themselves and are a tribute to our engineering development team. The four-million pixel MX40 is the highest-resolution, high-speed, image-processing camera in the world, in this or any other market," said Dr Julian Morris, Chief Executive of Vicon and parent company OMG plc. "But the most important message is that all this resolution and processing power makes motion capture simpler, faster and more useful than ever before."

High Performance, Low Maintenance
In addition to increased performance, VICON has also upped ease of set up and use with VICON MX via such features as self-diagnosing cameras and devices that enable customers to realize record productivity. A distributed architecture and on camera processors allow VICON MX to automatically recognize each camera and its characteristics as it is plugged into the system. Continuing in the VICON tradition, VICON MX cables and connectors are ruggedly constructed for use in the studio, laboratory or on the road.

Upgrade Path and Availability
VICON MX fully supports VICON software suites for biomechanics, engineering and animation applications so that existing users can continue to use familiar workflows and be assured of full data compatibility. New software features developed specifically for VICON MX are available as upgrades for users of the previous generation V8i and 612 systems.

Existing VICON customers will be offered an upgrade path to VICON MX.
VICON MX is available now to customers worldwide.
VICON MX will publicly debut at the 2004 SIGGRAPH conference in Los Angeles, August 10-12, 2004. Booth #

About VICON

VICON Motion Systems is a subsidiary of OMG plc (LSE: OMG) with global headquarters in Oxford, UK, and US headquarters in Lake Forest, CA. OMG subsidiary 2d3 Ltd. produces innovative visual geometry software deriving 3D data from moving images. Since 1984, VICON has been providing professionals with the latest tools to accurately capture the subtleties of three-dimensional human motion for research, medicine, sport, engineering, game development, broadcast and film. For more information about VICON, or to view a comprehensive list of worldwide distributors, visit www.vicon.com, or contact +44 (0) 1865 261800 in the U.K. or (949) 472-9140 in the U.S.

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