Slippery Rock University (SRU) is requesting sole-source approval for the purchase of the APDM Clario Moveo Explorer 10-Opal Motion Capture System. This equipment is essential for both biomechanical research and undergraduate Mechanical Engineering education at SRU. The APDM Clario system is uniquely qualified because it meets the critical technical requirements necessary for advanced research applications that competing systems cannot match. Specifically, it offers a superior high sampling frequency up to 800 Hz, significantly higher than the competitor's rate, and provides full, permanent access to raw sensor data and an open integration platform. Both features are vital for advanced engineering research, data validation, and ensuring research reproducibility. In contrast, the competing Movella/Xsens system is limited to a considerably lower data rate and restricts raw data access. Furthermore, the APDM Clario system offers superior long-term cost-effectiveness. Its price point, which includes a perpetual software license for the Moveo Explorer modeling software, is lower than the competitor's available configurations. The Movella/Xsens alternative is more expensive and requires a time-limited license, which necessitates renewal fees for continued access, making it significantly less cost-efficient over time. APDM Clario, a company under Clario, is the original manufacturer and primary source for the Moveo Explorer system. While their products may be available through authorized distributors, the system itself is an APDM Clario proprietary product. As the manufacturer, they are the unique source that controls the design, specifications (including the proprietary sensor fusion algorithm and raw data access), and licensing model necessary to meet SRU's dual requirements for highlevel research and teaching. The absence of this system would severely limit the Department of Engineering's research to theoretical modeling, preventing faculty and students from validating simulation and analytical models—a key component of both research integrity and accreditation requirements—while also curtailing essential interdisciplinary studies with Physical Therapy. Please note: This is a Sole Source Notification.
