Evaluating Input Devices for Dance Research

Recording music-related motions in ecological valid situations can be challenging. We investigate the performance of three devices providing 3D acceleration data, namely Axivity AX3, iPhone 4s and a Wii controller tracking rhythmic motions. The devices are benchmarked against an infrared motion capture system. The devices tracked simple and complex rhythmic motions to pre-recorded music and were evaluated both based on the data quality and also in terms of how suitable the systems seem for tracking music-related motions in real-world situations. The various systems represent di↵erent trade o↵s with respect to timing, accuracy and precision.