An animation company has been awarded a massive grant to develop technology that could change the way we play computer games.

Brighton-based Animazoo will work with boffins at the University of Sussex to produce an affordable motion capture suit, which could be used at home in a similar but far more advanced fashion of Nintendo’s Wii console.

The project will be funded by a grant from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) under its competitive programme for Application of Digital Technology in Creative Industries.

It is worth £1.35 million over two years and is part of of a £10 million programme to support research and development within the creative industries, launched earlier this year by TSB.

Development work has already started on the project and will use both Animazoos’ market leading motion capture design and development expertise, and the university’s advanced academic knowledge, to research software aspects of the project. The university team will produce the Software Developers’ Kit for the final product and assist in identifying market opportunities within which the product may be applied.

Ali Kord, chief executive at Animazoo, said: “It has always been our long-term goal at Animazoo to transfer the experience we’ve gained in high-end motion capture projects into an affordable, massmarket product and this partnership will make that a reality.”

Michael Wylde, the university’s business development manager, added: “The University of Sussex attaches great importance to its links with business and we are delighted to be working with such a pioneering company as Animazoo on this exciting project.”

Mr Kord believes the final product could sell initially for anything between £200 and £500 but could become cheaper.

Mr Kord said: “The suits will be more precise than the Wii and each one is personal, making them far more accurate..

“If you dance then the figure on the screen will dance with you.

“It will be like the virtual reality which was promised 20 years ago but never delivered.”