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PoseCap
What it is
PoseCap is a free, open-source Blender extension that streams markerless full-body poses from a webcam or video file to a character in real time. A separate engine process sends pose data to Blender over a local connection. MediaPipe Lite provides CPU-first capture without a GPU or provider account, while the PEAR backend offers higher-fidelity capture with an NVIDIA GPU and driver R570 or newer. In Blender, users can stream motion live, record it as timeline keyframes, capture a single pose, and manage SMPL-X models. The getting-started guide describes importing a Mixamo or Unreal character and converting it in one click. Blender 4.2 LTS or newer is required. The project lists Windows 10 and 11 as its current target and provides a native Linux installation path; macOS is not currently planned. SMPL, SMPL-X, and FLAME models are separate licenses. PoseCap’s monocular depth estimation leaves poses pelvis-locked, so general world translation is not available.
For and against
For
- Free and open-source Blender extension
- Supports webcam and video-file capture
- MediaPipe Lite works without a GPU
- Records motion as Blender keyframes
- Supports live streaming and single-pose capture
Against
- macOS is not currently planned
- PEAR requires an NVIDIA GPU and newer driver
- SMPL-family model licenses are separate
- World translation is generally unavailable
The verdict
PoseCap provides free markerless body capture directly in Blender, with CPU-first and NVIDIA-based backends. Its platform requirements, separate model licensing, and pelvis-locked motion are important considerations before setup.
Who it suits
PoseCap is for Blender animators seeking body animation from a webcam or video without mocap suits, markers, or external mocap software. It suits users working on Windows or Linux with Blender 4.2 LTS or newer.
Plans and prices
Free and open source
Blender extension · MediaPipe Lite and PEAR capture backends · Webcam and video-file capture
Read 21 Sep 2026 · github.com
PoseCap
Free and open source · SMPL-family model licenses are separate
Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- Body-model licensing
- SMPL, SMPL-X, and FLAME models are not distributed with PoseCap; their research-use licenses require users to register and accept terms themselves, and commercial production requires a Meshcapade commercial license.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Capture backends
- MediaPipe Lite provides CPU-first capture without a GPU or provider account, while PEAR is the higher-fidelity NVIDIA/CUDA backend.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Character setup
- The getting-started guide says users can bring in a Mixamo or Unreal character and convert it in one click.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Features
- The Blender extension supports live streaming, recording motion to keyframes, single-pose capture, and SMPL-X model management.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Inputs and output
- PoseCap can capture from a webcam or process a video, and can record motion as Blender timeline keyframes.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- PoseCap runs as a Blender extension and streams poses from a separate engine process to Blender over a local connection.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The project describes Blender animators seeking body animation without mocap suits, markers, or external mocap software as its target users.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The README says poses are pelvis-locked because monocular depth estimation cannot recover trustworthy world position; world translation is not generally available yet.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Platform support
- The latest release describes a native Linux installation path; the README lists Windows 10/11 as the current target and says macOS is not currently planned.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- The getting-started guide requires Blender 4.2 LTS or newer and lists Windows 10 or 11; PEAR requires an NVIDIA GPU and driver R570 or newer.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Security and download verification
- The Windows installer is unsigned; the release instructs users to download it from GitHub, compare its published SHA-256 file, and offers a GitHub CLI attestation verification command.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The support guide directs users to run PoseCap Doctor, create and review a Support Bundle, and file a bug report with build, Windows, Blender, GPU, reproduction, and diagnostic details.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- What it does
- PoseCap streams markerless full-body poses from a webcam to a character in Blender in real time.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
