Difference between revisions of "Positional tracking"

Revision as of 11:30, 1 February 2025

Position and orientation tracking using lasers

Position and orientation tracking (PnO tracking) is 3D tracking of an object's position and orientation in space. It can be used to track display headsets and handheld input devices.

It is used in devices like the Meta Quest 2. It is also known as 6DOF tracking, for the 6 degrees of freedom (DOF): horizontal, vertical, depthwise, pitch, roll, and yaw. It is used in an absolute positioning system. It can be done using a number of different hardware technologies, such as electromagnetic tracking or camera-based tracking.

Methods of camera-based tracking include methods using SLAM or VIO.

Position can be represented in a computer system using a 3D vector. Rotation can be represented using a quaternion.

PnO tracking is related to rotation tracking, which uses 3DOF of space.

Methods

Markerless inside-out tracking, which is camera-based tracking (SLAM/VIO)- This is used on headsets such as Meta Quest headsets and the Project North Star. An open source method is Basalt. It can use visible light or infrared light, which can be artificially emitted.
Marker-based tracking - Camera based tracking that uses markers in the environment, which is simpler to implement.
Electromagnetic tracking.^[1] Electromagnetic tracking requires an external source. It gets jittery when there is metal around, like a metal laptop computer. Magnetic tracking is typically wired, but it does not have to be.
UWB tracking
Mechanical tracking^[1]
Acoustic tracking^[1]
Visible light-based tracking
Infra-red based tracking

Magnetic tracking

240Hz is generally sufficient if using magnetic tracking with no filtering.

History

3D tracking has been used for motion capture for 3D animated movies.

The 3DOF regime of cheap tracking was embraced by Oculus VR with the original Oculus Rift. The CV1 of the Oculus Rift used (and the DK2) constellation tracking, which is a complex method of 6DOF tracking added on to a robust 3DOF system.

References

↑ ^{Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 ^1.2 3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice, 1st edition, page 97

[3duibook-1] {Jump up to: 1.0} ^1.1 ^1.2 3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice, 1st edition, page 97

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 [[File:PnO tracking of a robot.png|thumb|Position and orientation tracking using lasers]]
-'''Position and orientation tracking''' ('''PnO tracking''') is 3D tracking of an object's [[position and orientation]] in space. It can be used to track a headset or controller. It is used in devices like the [[Meta Quest 2]]. It is also known as '''6DOF tracking''', for the 6 degrees of freedom (DOF): horizontal, vertical, depthwise, pitch, roll, and yaw. It is used in an [[absolute positioning system]]. It can be done using a number of different hardware technologies, such as [[electromagnetic tracking]] or [[camera-based tracking]].
+'''Position and orientation tracking''' ('''PnO tracking''') is 3D tracking of an object's [[position and orientation]] in space. It can be used to track display headsets and handheld input devices.
+It is used in devices like the [[Meta Quest 2]]. It is also known as '''6DOF tracking''', for the 6 degrees of freedom (DOF): horizontal, vertical, depthwise, pitch, roll, and yaw. It is used in an [[absolute positioning system]]. It can be done using a number of different hardware technologies, such as [[electromagnetic tracking]] or [[camera-based tracking]].
 Methods of camera-based tracking include methods using [[SLAM]] or [[VIO]].