# CMU Motion Capture Database
**Source:** https://mocap.cs.cmu.edu/
**Fetched:** 2026-02-13
**Type:** Dataset

---

## Description

The CMU Motion Capture Database is one of the most widely used and freely available motion capture datasets in robotics and computer graphics. Created by Carnegie Mellon University's Graphics Lab, it contains a large collection of human motion data captured with a professional Vicon system. The database is freely available for research and commercial use and has become a foundational dataset for motion retargeting to humanoid robots.

## Key Features / Contents

### Capture Setup
- **System**: 12 Vicon infrared MX-40 cameras
- **Resolution**: 4 megapixel per camera
- **Frame Rate**: 120 Hz
- **Markers**: 41 markers on motion capture suit

### Dataset Scale
- **Subjects**: 140+ human subjects
- **Trials**: 2,605 motion trials
- **Categories**: 6 major categories, 23 subcategories
- **BVH Files**: 2,548 converted BVH files (with text descriptions)

### Data Formats

| Format | Description | Use Case |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| **C3D** | Raw marker position data | Research, custom processing |
| **ASF/AMC** | Acclaim skeleton format (skeleton definition + motion) | Legacy animation, retargeting |
| **BVH** | Biovision Hierarchy format (community conversion) | Most common for robotics retargeting |

### Motion Categories (Representative)
- Walking, running, jogging
- Jumping, hopping
- Dancing, gymnastics
- Sports (basketball, soccer, baseball, etc.)
- Everyday activities (sitting, standing, reaching)
- Interaction motions (two-person activities)
- Martial arts, acrobatics
- Climbing stairs
- Emotional expressions through body language

## G1 Relevance

The CMU MoCap database is a key upstream data source for G1 motion learning:

- **AMASS Integration**: CMU MoCap is one of the constituent datasets within AMASS, which has been retargeted to G1 (see `dataset-amass-g1.md`)
- **BVH Retargeting**: The BVH format is directly consumable by retargeting tools like GMR, which supports Unitree G1
- **Locomotion Training**: Walking, running, and stair-climbing data is used to train G1 locomotion policies via Adversarial Motion Priors (AMP)
- **Manipulation Training**: Reaching and grasping motions inform upper-body control policies
- **Baseline Dataset**: Many humanoid motion learning papers use CMU MoCap as their primary training data source

### Retargeting Pipeline to G1
```
CMU MoCap (BVH/ASF+AMC)
    -> AMASS (SMPL-X format)
        -> Retargeting (GMR / custom scripts)
            -> G1 joint angles (29 DOF)
                -> IsaacLab AMP training
```

## Installation / Usage

### Accessing the Data

**Direct Download**: https://mocap.cs.cmu.edu/
- Browse by subject or motion category
- Download individual trials in C3D or ASF/AMC format

**BVH Conversion** (cgspeed): https://sites.google.com/a/cgspeed.com/cgspeed/motion-capture/the-motionbuilder-friendly-bvh-conversion-release-of-cmus-motion-capture-database
- Pre-converted BVH files for all 2,548 trials
- Includes text descriptions for each motion

**GitHub Mirror (BVH)**: https://github.com/una-dinosauria/cmu-mocap
- BVH format files in a Git repository

### Using with AMASS
The CMU MoCap data is already included in the AMASS dataset in unified SMPL-X format. If you need CMU motions retargeted to G1, use the pre-retargeted AMASS datasets:
```bash
# Already retargeted for G1
git clone https://huggingface.co/datasets/ember-lab-berkeley/AMASS_Retargeted_for_G1
```

### Direct BVH Retargeting with GMR
```bash
# Install GMR
pip install -e .

# Retarget BVH to G1
python retarget.py --input cmu_motion.bvh --robot unitree_g1
```

## License

The CMU MoCap database is freely available. From the website: "This data is free for use in research and commercial projects. The creators of the database ask only that you credit the source of the data."

**Recommended Citation**: "The data used in this project was obtained from mocap.cs.cmu.edu. The database was created with funding from NSF EIA-0196217."

## Related Resources

- [AMASS](https://amass.is.tue.mpg.de/) - Unified superset including CMU MoCap in SMPL-X format
- [HDM05](https://resources.mpi-inf.mpg.de/HDM05/) - Alternative MoCap database from MPI
- [SFU MoCap](https://mocap.cs.sfu.ca/) - Simon Fraser University's database
- [LAFAN1](https://github.com/ubisoft/ubisoft-laforge-animation-dataset) - Ubisoft's animation dataset