Managing multiple trackIR cameras

[radex]

Hi everyone:

We are TrackIR developers, now we are involved in a project for which we need to get tracking information from 2 cameras, we have FLEX V100 cameras but we use TrackIR SDK, not OptiTrack (since we've been using standard TrackIR cameras and software for our simulators for years), so the question is:

Is it possible to handle (set up and get tracking data) multiple cameras with the TrackIR SDK or we have to move to OptiTrack in order to do so?

Thanks in advance.
Miguel Angel Exposito

University of Valencia (spain)

[VincentG]

The TrackIR software only supports connecting to a single camera at a time, so it won't be possible to use the TrackIR SDK for running two cameras in the configuration you are interested in.

The OptiTrack SDK would allow you two run two cameras on the same system, and you could use the Vector Tracking* feature with each camera. Then you could try to combine the data from the two in your app.

* (we no longer provide support for the Vector Tracking feature, but it does function and there are numerous posts on this forum with information about it)

Another option is to use the Tracking Tools software with three V100 cameras. This will offer the field of view you need (as described in your other post) with better tracking fidelity, but at a higher price point. More information on Tracking Tools can be found here:

http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/p ... ing-tools/

[radex]

Thanks a lot for your quick answer!

[JD]

I was searching through the forums because I was wondering if there is a way to use at least two camera's with TrackIR. I see that isn't possible with the TrackIR software now.
But is there any chance something like this could be looked into by Natural Point as a consumer product or an add on kit for existing TrackIR customers?
I'm not a programmer, I just want to have better tracking. I thought if there were at least two cameras on each corner of my monitor, it could improve tracking greatly.

I wouldn't think there would be too much in production costs other then creating the compatible software and packaging really since you could use existing cameras. It could grab some of those customers like me who already have have trackIR that would be willing to go for the upgrade.

[NaturalPoint - Mike]

Unfortunately, there is not. It is possible to build multi-camera systems with our slim or Flex line cameras due to their support of synchronization, however these are significantly more expensive. It's definitely doable, though.

[zarthrag]

Just wanted to pile on, My simpit would stand to gain a lot from being able to add multiple (relatively inexpensive) track ir cameras to improve field of view. I like to be able to use my peripheral vision while looking down at gauges, but everything gets messed up while looking away - even at the cost of framerate/sync. Two would do, but three would be grand!

Would the optitrack sdk work with trackir games? (tracking tools are on the expensive side for gaming)

Barring that, I've got a question that deserves another post...

[NaturalPoint - Mike]

The problem is that the TrackIR cameras are not syncable, and as such will have issues interfereing with eachother. In order for multiple burst IR emitters to work together, their bursts must be synchronized. OptiTrack supports this, however TrackIR does not.

[MikBe]

So if I understand the issue, gamers like myself want better coverage so we can have a much wider range of motion. For instance I mount my sensor on the left so when I look far right the

We, the gamers, think the answer is to use multiple sensors to give us that coverage but TrackIR does not support multiple sensors: we can't have one on the left and one on the right.

OptiTrack does support multiple sensors but I'm not clear if the system will work with games: it appears to be made for mo-cap. In addition the OptiTrack is significantly more expensive: $417 for the complete camera that's comparable with the TrackIR.

All that being said I wonder if a simple solution would be to make the TrackClipPro LEDs less embedded in the headpiece: make them more omni-directional so the camera doesn't lose the tracker when you're 90 degrees to it. I imagine the LEDs are very directional on purpose but I've seen a tracker made out of Bic pens and LEDs that works so I wonder if it's just a simple design change that's needed.