MOVE4D, the 4D motion capture division of the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (IBV), has completed the installation of a state-of-the-art 4D Body scanning laboratory in collaboration with LI-NING, one of the world’s leading sports brands.
This project equips LI-NING’s R&D centre with a cutting-edge 4D scanning technology, aiming to revolutionise sports product design and elevate the customer experience on a global scale.
About the Client: Li-Ning (Li Ning Company Limited)
Founded in 1990 by the legendary Olympic gymnast Li Ning, Li-Ning Company Limited is one of China’s top sportswear brands. Headquartered in Beijing, the company has a strong global presence through subsidiaries such as Li-Ning Europe.
Li-Ning operates across multiple sportswear categories, including footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories, with a strategic focus on basketball, running, badminton, and fitness. The brand controls the entire value chain—R&D, design, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and e-commerce—with an intensive distribution network in China.
Currently, the company is focused on international expansion, driven by a strategy that blends sport, fashion, and technology, positioning it as a rising global brand.
Background
The design of products that interact with the human body —such as clothing and footwear— has significantly evolved thanks to improved access to advanced anthropometric data. Technological advancements have enabled a shift from:
- Single-subject data to large-scale datasets,
- Manual measurements to true 3D surface scans,
- Static postures to dynamic body motion data (i.e., 4D scanning).
However, this increase in both the volume and complexity of data has introduced new R&D challenges: how to make effective, efficient, and meaningful use of such data in product design.
Why MOVE4D? Meeting Li-Ning’s innovation needs
In this context, LI-NING approached IBV with the aim of finding a solution to one of its major design challenges: creating products for real bodies in motion.
The main limitation of traditional 3D body models lies in their static nature. Yet sportswear and wearable products are used in motion. LI-NING’s ongoing studies required a dynamic scanning solution to better simulate real-world use cases, improve ergonomic performance, and elevate customer experience.
The MOVE4D laboratory: A technological milestone
4D body scanning, the most advanced body digitisation technology currently available, captures the human body’s surface in motion, with high frequency and resolution. It is now being adopted by top-tier research institutions and companies around the world—such as in this landmark project with LI-NING.
The 4D body scanning lab offers significant capabilities for ergonomic design and biomechanical analysis, both critical to developing footwear and garments that deliver optimal performance and comfort.
Laboratory setup timelapse
Key benefits of MOVE4D technology
The new 4D motion capture lab at LI-NING’s innovation centre enables the brand to:
- Generate dynamic digital body models that realistically simulate how garments interact with the body during movement.
- Study functional fit in motion to improve comfort and performance.
- Promote inclusivity by representing a wide variety of body types and movement patterns.
- Accelerate product development, reduce prototyping costs, and boost market responsiveness for new launches
- Seamlessly integrate with industry-standard design software such as Clo3D, Blender, Unity, and Maya.
Would you like to learn more about our 4D scanning lab? We invite you to explore our technical data sheet and reach out to our team. We’ll be happy to provide advice, answer your questions, and conduct a personalized needs assessment to explore how MOVE4D can support your product innovation goals.
