Preserving Traditional Glassmaking Skills with MANUS Gloves and XR Motion Capture

axis3d MKT
4 minutes ago
2 min read

Background

Located in France, Le Cerfav (European Centre for Research and Training in Glass Arts) is a non-profit association dedicated to nurturing the next generation of glass artisans.

For over 30 years, Le Cerfav has been teaching traditional and contemporary techniques such as glassblowing, stained glass, and scientific glass instrument making.

Beyond education, it also serves as a unique technical resource center, bridging craftsmanship and modern digital innovation.

The Challenge: Capturing Intangible Craftsmanship

In 2018–2019, Le Cerfav launched “The Ghost Project”, an initiative that explores how XR (Extended Reality) and AI-based motion capture can help preserve intangible cultural heritage — specifically, the hand gestures and motions that define traditional crafts.

Led by former master glassblowers and experts in craft education, the project aimed to record real artisans’ complex motions directly from their workshop environments.

The Solution: Precision Hand Tracking with MANUS

Capturing the delicate finger movements of a glassblower presents a unique technical challenge.

After evaluating multiple systems in 2019, Le Cerfav found that only MANUS Gloves could meet their standards for high-fidelity motion performance.

With support from French distributor Trinoma, MANUS technology was successfully integrated into their workflow.

Workflow and Implementation

Le Cerfav utilized MANUS Quantum Gloves in combination with the Xsens MVN Link full-body tracking system to capture hand and body movements in real-world glassblowing conditions.
Instead of actors, real artisans performed the movements to ensure authentic and accurate motion data.
Captured data was then visualized through MANUS Core and further refined using Unity or Unreal Engine 5 for post-production.

Results and Applications

Through high-fidelity motion capture, Le Cerfav achieved several milestones:

Accurately analyzing and preserving subtle hand gestures for craft research and training.
Creating a permanent digital record of artisanal techniques for future generations.
Opening new possibilities for collaboration between craftsmen, XR developers, and digital designers.

Future Outlook

Le Cerfav continues to expand this initiative, exploring applications of human gesture understanding across industries — from design and education to cultural preservation.Future collaborations may involve MANUS, Xsens Movella, and Epic Games, aiming to build immersive XR experiences that connect technology and tradition.