This might be a really dumb question or an obvious innovation:
Why would you mount the TrackIR in front of you rather than mounting it above you, like on the ceiling?
It seems to me this would allow you to rotate 360 degrees without the need of another input device and without augmenting the rotational senitivity - just as long as you don't look down at the ground too far.
Anyone?
[ January 21, 2006, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: GianCarlo ]
Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
Hello:
This is a good idea and we have done it in testing. The only problem is mounting the unit from above, that is hard to do, when the monitor is right there in front of you!
This is a good idea and we have done it in testing. The only problem is mounting the unit from above, that is hard to do, when the monitor is right there in front of you!
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
GianCarlo,
I like your idea, except how would you be able to see the monitor?
I like your idea, except how would you be able to see the monitor?
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
quote: I like your idea, except how would you be able to see the monitor? The reflective strips would point up from the top of your head, rather than forward mate. You would just have to adjust all the axis directions in the settings.
It was bad enough getting my Missus to let me spend the money to buy a TIR4 let alone start screwing bits of my PC to the ceiling though.
[ January 21, 2006, 03:29 AM: Message edited by: Toady ]
It was bad enough getting my Missus to let me spend the money to buy a TIR4 let alone start screwing bits of my PC to the ceiling though.
[ January 21, 2006, 03:29 AM: Message edited by: Toady ]
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
I am very sorry, I left out a very crucial detail!
I was thinking of using a Head-Mounted-Display (HMD), not a monitor, like the one sold at www.3dvisor.com (the Z800).
Since you wear the screen as VR goggles, you always are looking at it no matter where you turn .
I realize that the z800 HMD comes with 2 degrees of freedom and a third if you utilize their SDK (all using MEMS) , but is doesn't have the 3 translation degrees of freedom like TrackIR does (up, down, side to side).
So, I was thinking of getting the z800 HMD and using the TrackIR mounted overhead for all movement tracking (with the 3 IR reflectors mounted on the top of the head also of course).
I see the TrackIR has mouse emulation support which is great, but I just would like to see the following improvements to the TrackIR software for HMD users:
1. 90 degreee axis rotation option for mounting the TrackIR camera overhead.
2. Customizable ranges of position mapping to virtual keyboard key(s). For example, moving your head lower into a customizable range would activate a key you have mapped to "crouch" in the game. Or moving 1 foot forward could activate "move forward" key. Moving one more foot forward could activate the "run" and "move forward" keys. You imagine how lean, move left, move right, jump, etc would work...
3. An option to activate logic that will automatically rotate the directional key assignments when you rotate in the game so if you turn and step forward, you will turn and move forward in the game also.
The end result would be so that HMD owners could use the TrackIR to control all their movement in any existing First-Person-Shooter games and perhaps many other kinds of games, TrackIR enhanced or not! The HMD market is starting to grow since the z800 came out as the first affordable SVGA HMD on the market (currently $899).
I'm just a gamer hoping and wishing, but I hope a TrackIR developer reads this - just a little tweaking of their software and they could get a boost of sales by working together with the HMD market. Both 3dvisor and TrackIR companies could have complimentary products geared to all kinds of gamers who really want to "put their head in the game".
[ January 26, 2006, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: GianCarlo ]
I was thinking of using a Head-Mounted-Display (HMD), not a monitor, like the one sold at www.3dvisor.com (the Z800).
Since you wear the screen as VR goggles, you always are looking at it no matter where you turn .
I realize that the z800 HMD comes with 2 degrees of freedom and a third if you utilize their SDK (all using MEMS) , but is doesn't have the 3 translation degrees of freedom like TrackIR does (up, down, side to side).
So, I was thinking of getting the z800 HMD and using the TrackIR mounted overhead for all movement tracking (with the 3 IR reflectors mounted on the top of the head also of course).
I see the TrackIR has mouse emulation support which is great, but I just would like to see the following improvements to the TrackIR software for HMD users:
1. 90 degreee axis rotation option for mounting the TrackIR camera overhead.
2. Customizable ranges of position mapping to virtual keyboard key(s). For example, moving your head lower into a customizable range would activate a key you have mapped to "crouch" in the game. Or moving 1 foot forward could activate "move forward" key. Moving one more foot forward could activate the "run" and "move forward" keys. You imagine how lean, move left, move right, jump, etc would work...
3. An option to activate logic that will automatically rotate the directional key assignments when you rotate in the game so if you turn and step forward, you will turn and move forward in the game also.
The end result would be so that HMD owners could use the TrackIR to control all their movement in any existing First-Person-Shooter games and perhaps many other kinds of games, TrackIR enhanced or not! The HMD market is starting to grow since the z800 came out as the first affordable SVGA HMD on the market (currently $899).
I'm just a gamer hoping and wishing, but I hope a TrackIR developer reads this - just a little tweaking of their software and they could get a boost of sales by working together with the HMD market. Both 3dvisor and TrackIR companies could have complimentary products geared to all kinds of gamers who really want to "put their head in the game".
[ January 26, 2006, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: GianCarlo ]
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
Ah, I see Jim is already being very forward thinking and pro-active with regard to the z800 and other future HMDs:
http://forums.naturalpoint.com/cgi-bin/ ... 2&t=000213
Hats off to Jim! Jim, what do you think of my thoughts about virtual keymapping and the "rotating invisible directional pad" to expand the TrackIR functionlity to more types of games, with or without developer support?
http://forums.naturalpoint.com/cgi-bin/ ... 2&t=000213
Hats off to Jim! Jim, what do you think of my thoughts about virtual keymapping and the "rotating invisible directional pad" to expand the TrackIR functionlity to more types of games, with or without developer support?
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
Toady,
Sure, the TrackIR will see the reflective strips, but when you look behind you a monitor needs to be there for you to see something. I didn't realize that HMD was part of the equation.
-----
Now it all makes sense, as without a HMD, you would spend most of your time not looking at the monitor in front of you.
The only problems I see with this setup are:
1 - It's expensive
2 - You can't see your keyboard while wearing the HMD. Of course, this is only a problem if you don't have a means to map all your controls to something other than a keyboard.
I love the idea, but I wonder how much of an impact there is when you no longer can see the controls you are interfacing with, especially when if are not 100% HOTAS.
Good luck!!!
[ January 23, 2006, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Oracle ]
Sure, the TrackIR will see the reflective strips, but when you look behind you a monitor needs to be there for you to see something. I didn't realize that HMD was part of the equation.
-----
Now it all makes sense, as without a HMD, you would spend most of your time not looking at the monitor in front of you.
The only problems I see with this setup are:
1 - It's expensive
2 - You can't see your keyboard while wearing the HMD. Of course, this is only a problem if you don't have a means to map all your controls to something other than a keyboard.
I love the idea, but I wonder how much of an impact there is when you no longer can see the controls you are interfacing with, especially when if are not 100% HOTAS.
Good luck!!!
[ January 23, 2006, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Oracle ]
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
quote: Sure, the TrackIR will see the reflective strips, but when you look behind you a monitor needs to be there for you to see something. I didn't realize that HMD was part of the equation.
If the reflective strips were facing up:
'Roll' would become 'Yaw'.
I started to work the rest out but my head nearly exploded.
[ January 23, 2006, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: Toady ]
If the reflective strips were facing up:
'Roll' would become 'Yaw'.
I started to work the rest out but my head nearly exploded.
[ January 23, 2006, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: Toady ]
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
I don't own one of these yet, but isn't there a way to re-assign the axis?
Re: Mounting TrackIR on the Ceiling & the z800
Ah, yes, this is the discussion I wanted to get started. Good question, can we reassign the axis and assign certain ranges of head orientation/positions to virtual keyboard keys? This would just be the beginning of making the TrackIR useful for more games but should be pretty simple code-wise.
Anyways, to respond to Oracle's points:
1. Yes $899 is expensive, but so is nearly $200 of TrackIR stuff and a high end monitor and PC can cost much more. People are willing to spend it if the functionality is there.
2. I would use a wireless gamepad like Saitek or a wireless keyboard. If you look straight down, you can see your gamepad/keyboard under the HMD if you have at least a litle light in the room.
[ January 26, 2006, 08:50 AM: Message edited by: GianCarlo ]
Anyways, to respond to Oracle's points:
1. Yes $899 is expensive, but so is nearly $200 of TrackIR stuff and a high end monitor and PC can cost much more. People are willing to spend it if the functionality is there.
2. I would use a wireless gamepad like Saitek or a wireless keyboard. If you look straight down, you can see your gamepad/keyboard under the HMD if you have at least a litle light in the room.
[ January 26, 2006, 08:50 AM: Message edited by: GianCarlo ]