Tethers in Space Handbook.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/pdf/337451main_Tethers_In_Space_Handbook_Section_1_2.pdf

Trying the Visette 45 from Cybermind in Almere for the
Live Elements project, looking at an animation (without tracking)
Martin with Visette 45 HMD

You will need P5 glove in order Sandbox to work. However you can emulate P5 with other data gloves (like 5DT) with position hand-trackers, using GlovePIE emulator software. Thanks to Carl Kenner for this software and his new P5 driver! For comfortable experience you can setup your P5 Tower 15-17cm higher than table, like on picture below. Doing this – your virtual “table” and real table will be on the same height.

Developed by VRM teamVisit us at: www.3DVRM.com Contacts: maxim.lysak@3dvrm.com viktor.kuropyatnik@3dvrm.com

Design © Kero 2009

http://www.frieslandav.com/camgriptools.php

Magnetic Tracking Technology

Magnetic trackers are used to determine the rotation and position of objects in the real world.  The two primary uses are:

1. motion tracking for special effects (recording martial arts moves for video games, movie animations, etc.)
2. interfaces to a virtual world (head position, hand/mouse position, etc.)

Here we focus on the second application, virtual reality interface technology.

A typical set-up contains the following components:

1. a transmitter, which is usually permanently installed on a workspace ceiling;
2. one or more sensors, often attached to special helmets or gloves;
3. an interface device (often called the filter); and
4. the computer

The transmitter gives off an magnetic field (hence the name!), which is detected by the sensors.  The sensors pass this information to the filter.  The filter uses the strength of the field at the sensor to computer the position and direction of each sensor, relative to the transmitter.  Since the transmitter is in a fixed location, this gives the exact position and direction of each sensor.  The filter passes this information to the computer, where it is used to (for instance) move the user’s viewpoint.

The magnetic field tracking method has pros and cons.  For instance, metal or electronic devices in the area can hurt the accuracy.  On the other hand, magnetic trackers do not require a direct line-of-sight between the transmitter and the sensor, unlike visual trackers.  Magnetic trackers were first used early in the history of computer graphics and virtual reality (1970) and are still used for the majority of programs that need to track objects in the real world.

If you’re interested in this material, you should look at the FULL VERSION.