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[[File:Polhemus Logo.gif|thumb|Polhemus logo]]
[[File:Polhemus Logo.gif|thumb|Polhemus logo]]
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'''Polhemus''' is a company that makes [[electromagnetic tracking]] devices. The trackers can be found in medical and flight simulator applications. The name of the company is from [[William Polhemus]].
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'''Polhemus''' is a company that makes [[3D tracking]] systems. Polhemus' tracking systems were used in some of the first [[virtual reality]] systems. The magnetic tracking products generally have high precision. The trackers can be found in medical and flight simulator applications. Examples of their products are the [[Viper]] line and the [[Polhemus Patriot]].
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Polhemus' systems are comprised of a system electronics unit (SEU), a source, and at least one sensor. The SEU connects to a computer and plugs in to the source(s) and sensors. The magnetic tracking products generally have very high precision. The trackers can be used with or without kalman filtering.
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Polhemus' products include the [[Fastrak]] line. Polhemus' systems are comprised of a [[system electronics unit]] (SEU), a source, and at least one sensor. The SEU connects to a computer and plugs in to the source(s) and sensors. Polhemus has filed patents on magnetic tracking technology.
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They have filed patents on magnetic tracking technology.
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Polhemus systems were used by [[VPL]]. The company is named after [[Bill Polhemus]]. Polhemus' corporate name is Alken, Inc. and is incorporated in Vermont.<ref name="x953">{{cite web | title=Corporations Division | website=Corporations Division | url=https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/TradeNameInformation?businessID=251741 | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="q030">{{cite web | title=Patriot User Manual November 2004 | url=http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/~moose/mhs/trunk/PolhemusActiveXControl/polhemus/Patriot/PATRIOT%20Manual.pdf | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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__NOTOC__
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==History==
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Polhemus was started as Polhemus Associates by [[Bill Polhemus]].<ref name="b232">{{cite web | last=Carlson | first=Wayne E. | title=17.4 Interaction | publisher=The Ohio State University | date=2017-06-20 | url=https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/graphicshistory/chapter/1-4-interaction/ | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref> It was founded in Michigan. Polhemus Associates researched how to track objects' position and orientation in a three-dimensional space.<ref name="b232"/> The company moved to Vermont and began focusing on hardware. It worked with Northrop Corporation, and then changed its name to Polhemus Navigation Sciences, and became incorporated in Vermont.<ref name="b232"/><ref name="o066">{{cite web | title=Polhemus | website=About Polhemus | url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140351if_/http://www.polhemus.com/aboutpol.htm | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="a727">{{cite web | last=Cruz-Neira | first=Carolina | last2=Sandin | first2=Dan | last3=DeFanti | first3=Tom | last4=Other | first4=Along With | title=Section 17: Virtual Reality | website=Wayback Machine | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213214810if_/http://excelsior.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~carlson/history/lesson17.html | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref> Polhemus worked on magnetic tracking for tracking a pilot's helmet for use with a head-up display. Polhemus received Air Force contracts.<ref name="b232"/>
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Polhemus faced financial difficulty, and was sold to the [[Austin Company]], a company in Cleveland, Ohio.<ref name="b232"/> The company was then sold to McDonnell Douglas. It was called the Polhemus Navigation Sciences division of McDonnell Douglas.<ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/167962.165918</ref> Two employees left and founded [[Ascension]].<ref name="b232"/> Polhemus was sold to [[Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics]].<ref name="b232"/> Philip G. Cooper was the President of Polhemus.<ref name="o066"/><ref name="n232">{{cite web | title=Press Release: 1996-08-05: Sega Selects Polhemus to Develop Next Generation Motion Capture System | website=Sega Retro | date=2019-07-20 | url=https://segaretro.org/Press_Release:_1996-08-05:_Sega_Selects_Polhemus_to_Develop_Next_Generation_Motion_Capture_System | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="i569">{{cite web | title=Polhemus Press Releases | website=polhemus.com | date=1997-05-22 | url=http://www.polhemus.com/pressrel.htm#sega96 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140730/http://www.polhemus.com/pressrel.htm#sega96 | archive-date=1997-03-30 | url-status=dead | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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Polhemus was incorporated as Alken, Inc. in Vermont.<ref name="v141">{{cite web | title=Corporations Division | website=Corporations Division | url=https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/BusinessInformation?businessID=123354 | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
==Products==
==Products==
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[[File:Patriot No Key Resized.png|thumb|A Patriot system, showing the [[SEU]], a sensor, and a source.]]
* [[Fastrak]] / 3Space Fastrak
* [[Fastrak]] / 3Space Fastrak
* [[3space isotrak]]
* [[3space isotrak]]
* [[Polhemus Viper]]
* [[Polhemus Viper]]
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* [[Polhemus G4]]<ref name="c890">{{cite web | title=Polhemus All Trackers | website=Polhemus is the premier precision motion tracking company | url=https://polhemus.com/motion-tracking/all-trackers/ | access-date=2024-05-13}}</ref>
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* Polhemus G4<ref name="c890">{{cite web | title=Polhemus All Trackers | website=Polhemus is the premier precision motion tracking company | url=https://polhemus.com/motion-tracking/all-trackers/ | access-date=2024-05-13}}</ref>
* [[Polhemus Patriot]]
* [[Polhemus Patriot]]
* [[Polhemus Liberty]]
* [[Polhemus Liberty]]
* [[Liberty LATUS]]
* [[Liberty LATUS]]
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* [[3Space 3Draw]]<ref name="v472">{{cite web | title=Polhemus | website=Wayback Machine | url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140519if_/http://www.polhemus.com/ourprod.htm | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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* 3Space 3Draw<ref name="v472">{{cite web | title=Polhemus | website=Wayback Machine | url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140519if_/http://www.polhemus.com/ourprod.htm | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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* [[3Space 3Draw Pro]]<ref name="v472"/>
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* 3Space 3Draw Pro<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space Isotrak II]]<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space Isotrak II]]<ref name="v472"/>
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* [[3Space Star*Trak]]<ref name="v472"/>
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* 3Space Star*Trak<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space Ultratrak Pro]]<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space Ultratrak Pro]]<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space InsideTrak]]<ref name="v472"/>
* [[3Space InsideTrak]]<ref name="v472"/>
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==History==
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Polhemus was started as Polhemus Associates by [[William Polhemus]] in +1964.<ref name="b232">{{cite web | last=Carlson | first=Wayne E. | title=17.4 Interaction | publisher=The Ohio State University | date=2017-06-20 | url=https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/graphicshistory/chapter/1-4-interaction/ | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref> It was founded in Michigan. Polhemus Associates researched how to track objects' position and orientation in a three-dimensional space.<ref name="b232"/>
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The company moved to Vermont in +1969, and began focusing on hardware. In 1970, Polhemus worked with Northrop Corporation, and then changed their name to Polhemus Navigation Sciences, and became incorporated in Vermont.<ref name="b232"/><ref name="o066">{{cite web | title=Polhemus | website=About Polhemus | url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140351if_/http://www.polhemus.com/aboutpol.htm | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="a727">{{cite web | last=Cruz-Neira | first=Carolina | last2=Sandin | first2=Dan | last3=DeFanti | first3=Tom | last4=Other | first4=Along With | title=Section 17: Virtual Reality | website=Wayback Machine | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213214810if_/http://excelsior.biosci.ohio-state.edu:80/~carlson/history/lesson17.html | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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Polhemus developed magnetic tracking for tracking a pilot's helmet for use with a head-up display. Polhemus received Air Force contracts in the early 1970s.<ref name="b232"/> It faced financial difficulty by late 1973, and the company or its product rights were sold to the [[Austin Company]], which was a conglomerate based in Cleveland, Ohio.<ref name="b232"/>
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The company was then sold to McDonnell Douglas. It was called the Polhemus Navigation Sciences division of McDonnell Douglas.<ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/167962.165918</ref>
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Two employees left in +1986 and founded [[Ascension]].<ref name="b232"/>
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Polhemus was sold to [[Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics]] in +1988.<ref name="b232"/>
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In 1996 and 1997, Philip G. Cooper was the President of Polhemus.<ref name="o066"/><ref name="n232">{{cite web | title=Press Release: 1996-08-05: Sega Selects Polhemus to Develop Next Generation Motion Capture System | website=Sega Retro | date=2019-07-20 | url=https://segaretro.org/Press_Release:_1996-08-05:_Sega_Selects_Polhemus_to_Develop_Next_Generation_Motion_Capture_System | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="i569">{{cite web | title=Polhemus Press Releases | website=polhemus.com | date=1997-05-22 | url=http://www.polhemus.com/pressrel.htm#sega96 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140730/http://www.polhemus.com/pressrel.htm#sega96 | archive-date=1997-03-30 | url-status=dead | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
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In 1996, Polhemus was a subsidiary of [[Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics]].<ref name="n232"/>
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Polhemus's corporate name is Alken, Inc.<ref name="x953">{{cite web | title=Corporations Division | website=Corporations Division | url=https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/TradeNameInformation?businessID=251741 | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref name="q030">{{cite web | title=Patriot User Manual November 2004 | url=http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/~moose/mhs/trunk/PolhemusActiveXControl/polhemus/Patriot/PATRIOT%20Manual.pdf | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref> Alken, Inc. was incorporated in Vermont in +2002.<ref name="v141">{{cite web | title=Corporations Division | website=Corporations Division | url=https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/BusinessInformation?businessID=123354 | access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>
==Patents==
==Patents==
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* [[U.S. 3,868,565]]
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* [[Object Tracking and Orientation Determination Means, System and Process]]
* [[US3983474A]] - 1975 - [[Jack Kuipers]]
* [[US3983474A]] - 1975 - [[Jack Kuipers]]
* [[US4017858A]]
* [[US4017858A]]
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* [[US20050285591A1]]
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* US20050285591A1
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* [[US20060038555A1]]
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* US20060038555A1
* [[US20080120061A1]]
* [[US20080120061A1]]
* [[US7710395B2]]
* [[US7710395B2]]
* [[US7873491B2]] - based on US20080120061A1
* [[US7873491B2]] - based on US20080120061A1
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* [[US6377041B1]]<ref name="i057">{{cite web | title=Method and apparatus for determining electromagnetic field characteristics within a volume | website=Google Patents | date=1998-12-17 | url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US6377041B1/ | access-date=2024-08-23}}</ref>
* [[JP2006323854A]]
* [[JP2006323854A]]
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[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Companies]]
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[[Category:3D tracking]]
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[[Category:Position and orientation tracking]]
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[[Category:Electromagnetic tracking]]