Difference between revisions of "Polhemus"

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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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Polhemus has 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==
 +
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==
 +
[[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 the year +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 the year +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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* [[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]]

Latest revision as of 02:08, 9 February 2025

Polhemus logo

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.

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.

Polhemus systems were used by VPL. The company is named after Bill Polhemus. Polhemus' corporate name is Alken, Inc. and is incorporated in Vermont.[1][2]

History[edit]

Polhemus was started as Polhemus Associates by Bill Polhemus.[3] It was founded in Michigan. Polhemus Associates researched how to track objects' position and orientation in a three-dimensional space.[3] 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.[3][4][5] Polhemus worked on magnetic tracking for tracking a pilot's helmet for use with a head-up display. Polhemus received Air Force contracts.[3]

Polhemus faced financial difficulty, and was sold to the Austin Company, a company in Cleveland, Ohio.[3] The company was then sold to McDonnell Douglas. It was called the Polhemus Navigation Sciences division of McDonnell Douglas.[6] Two employees left and founded Ascension.[3] Polhemus was sold to Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics.[3] Philip G. Cooper was the President of Polhemus.[4][7][8]

Polhemus was incorporated as Alken, Inc. in Vermont.[9]

Products[edit]

A Patriot system, showing the SEU, a sensor, and a source.

Patents[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Corporations Division". https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/TradeNameInformation?businessID=251741.
  2. ↑ "Patriot User Manual November 2004". http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/~moose/mhs/trunk/PolhemusActiveXControl/polhemus/Patriot/PATRIOT%20Manual.pdf.
  3. ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Carlson, Wayne E. (2017-06-20). "17.4 Interaction". The Ohio State University. https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/graphicshistory/chapter/1-4-interaction/.
  4. ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 "Polhemus". https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140351if_/http://www.polhemus.com/aboutpol.htm.
  5. ↑ Cruz-Neira, Carolina; Sandin, Dan; DeFanti, Tom; Other, Along With. "Section 17: Virtual Reality". https://web.archive.org/web/20120213214810if_/http://excelsior.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~carlson/history/lesson17.html.
  6. ↑ https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/167962.165918
  7. ↑ "Press Release: 1996-08-05: Sega Selects Polhemus to Develop Next Generation Motion Capture System". 2019-07-20. https://segaretro.org/Press_Release:_1996-08-05:_Sega_Selects_Polhemus_to_Develop_Next_Generation_Motion_Capture_System.
  8. ↑ "Polhemus Press Releases". 1997-05-22. http://www.polhemus.com/pressrel.htm#sega96.
  9. ↑ "Corporations Division". https://bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire/BusinessInformation?businessID=123354.
  10. ↑ "Polhemus All Trackers". https://polhemus.com/motion-tracking/all-trackers/.
  11. ↑ Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 "Polhemus". https://web.archive.org/web/19970330140519if_/http://www.polhemus.com/ourprod.htm.
  12. ↑ "Method and apparatus for determining electromagnetic field characteristics within a volume". 1998-12-17. https://patents.google.com/patent/US6377041B1/.
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