Introducing Intelligent Drift Stabilization in MR4

The Hidden Enemy: IMU Drift

For anyone working with inertial motion capture (IMU systems), drift has always been the hidden enemy. Over time, small orientation errors compound into significant deviations, a problem magnified during long or uncontrolled recordings.
Traditional solutions like recalibrations, reference poses, or specific use case modes helped reduce drift, but they also slowed down workflows and limited testing environments. Our mission for the last decade has been to eliminate drift without compromise.

A 10-Year Journey of IMU Drift Correction

At Noraxon, we’ve spent more than a decade developing, testing, and refining stabilization techniques to move closer to the goal of long-term, drift-free accuracy.

  1. Magnetometers On (Legacy Mode) – Reliable under ideal conditions, but vulnerable near interference.
  2. Treadmill Mode – Supported longer recordings, but only when motion aligned to calibration direction.
  3. Standard Stabilization (Gait Mode) – Robust for trunk and legs, weaker for arms/head and non-gait tasks.
  4. Adaptive Stabilization (Gait Mode+) – Better for dynamic activities, still not full-body comprehensive.
  5. Reference Pose Correction – Enabled full-body resets, but required disruptive posture holds.
  6. Intelligent Drift Stabilization (Now) – Real-time, full-body correction using acceleration alignment and context-aware fusion logic for natural, uninterrupted recordings.

The Evolution of the Model Optimizer

A few years ago, we introduced the Model Optimizer to unify and apply these stabilization methods automatically. Since then, it has evolved with each MR release — gaining intelligence, flexibility, and transparency.
  • Early Versions – Automated stabilization with basic fusion and correction tools.
  • Expanding Capabilities – Added body-segment stabilization, advanced functional calibrations, and post-processing refinements.
  • Today’s MR4 Release – Culminates in acceleration alignment and adaptive fusion, delivering our most powerful and reliable drift stabilization yet.

The Optimizer Toolkit: Intelligent, Context-Aware Stabilization

The Optimizer is not a single algorithm — it’s a comprehensive toolkit of layered correction methods, including:
  • 🧠Smart Sensor Fusion — onboard and offline fusion, adaptive filters, context-aware use of magnetometers, and functional calibration profiles
  • 🎯Course Drift Correction — acceleration alignment, optional reference pose resets, and sliding-window stabilization.
  • ⚙️Full-Body Stabilization — adaptive segment-by-segment stabilization for head, arms, spine, thighs, shanks, and feet.
  • 🔄Sensor Dislocation Management — wobbling correction, joint constraints, and floor contact constraints to handle soft-tissue artifacts and sensor shifts.

By default, all of this runs automatically. But unlike competitor systems, the Optimizer provides full transparency and manual control. In Manual Mode, users can tune or disable individual settings, from fusion profiles to stabilization layers, tailoring corrections to each scenario.

What This Means for You

With MR4, drift correction has reached a new peak:

  • ✅ Drift-free, full-body accuracy in real time.
  • 🚀5× faster post-processing (20+ minute recordings processed in under 3 seconds).
  • 🛠️User control + transparency instead of black-box corrections.
  • 🌎Confidence in any environment – from labs to warehouses to clinics to sports fields.

Drift-Free Motion Capture, Anywhere and Anytime

The story of drift stabilization has been a decade-long journey of innovation. With MR4, that journey delivers its most powerful result: Intelligent Drift Stabilization, powered by the evolving Model Optimizer.

By blending every tool we’ve developed — and giving users the control to decide how they’re applied — MR4 makes drift-free motion capture not just possible, but effortless.

👉 Update to the latest MR4 release and experience the future of inertial motion capture today.